Themes Of The American Dream - 748 Words

Individual Freedom: The American Dream One of the most widely explored themes in American literature is the concept of the American Dream. Many well-known works of literature display this theme prominently, such as I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, and â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† by Martin Luther King Jr. All three of these examples feature individuals who defy what society expects of them in favor of pursuing lives of their own choice, and as a result embody the American Dream. The American Dream is to have the freedom to pursue whatever type of life one desires, regardless of the background or expectations someone comes from, just as Maya Angelou, Chris McCandless, and Martin Luther King†¦show more content†¦However, Chris decides that the path his parents have set out for him is not the one he wishes to follow. Instead, Chris follows his American Dream to escape his parents’ expectations, and leaves his former life behind to lead a new, nomadic lifestyle, eventually virtually disappearing into the Alaskan wilderness (Krakauer 164). Chris later describes his meandering odyssey in his journal, â€Å"So now, after two rambling years comes the final and greatest adventure...No longer to be poisoned by civilization, he flees, and walks alone upon the land to become lost in the wild† (Krakauer 163). Though almost everyone he met criticized his choices, Chris had the freedom to roam across the country and into the wilderness, living in the manner of his choice and following his own, unique American Dream. A person’s individual American Dream can mean working toward any kind of life, but in Martin Luther King Jr.’s case, he used his American freedom to fight for racial equality and to effect positive change in the United States. In King’s â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†, he described the motivations behind his own American Dream, which encompassed not only his own life, but the lives of all American people of color. From his cell at Birmingham Jail, King wrote, â€Å"We will reach the goal of freedom in Birmingham and all over the nation, because the goal of America is freedom† (34). In his letter, King acknowledged the fact that even in America, peopleShow MoreRelatedOf Mice And Men And The American Dream Theme756 Words   |  4 Pagesuse of words, themes, characters, and events. It is based upon the time period of the great depression, where many people were poor, had no self courage, and especially, had dreams that seemed impossible. Of Mice an d Men creates a world of gloom, sadness but also joy. The novella specifies many problems that the world had and still has in modern day. The novella is driven by a common theme that shows the flaws and strengths of the characters. The American Dream is an important theme in Of Mice andRead MoreThe Theme Of American Dream In The Great Gatsby859 Words   |  4 Pages American Dream The Great Gatsby is an incredible book that is filled full with literary themes and devices. In addition, Fitzgerald talks about the American Dream on his novel as it takes place in the roaring 20’s. Which is played through different characters in the book. This dream will actually come true, and turn into greatness after a long time of hardships and bumps along the road. The persona’s in the novel play this role where they all seek and want something which is affected with whatRead MoreThemes Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby1503 Words   |  7 PagesThe American dream is the ideal that every human that lives in the United States of America has an equal opportunity to fulfill success and achieve happiness. The failure of the American dream is an evident theme in the novel. The author, F. 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