american dream

            
             America is a young country in the spectrum of world countries, yet in its brief history it has evolved into one of the most powerful countries in the world. It started out from a small group of Europeans in search of a new financial beginning as well as freedom from religious persecution. This group has evolved into an economically dominating group of people or country. The dream of these few Europeans has created a dream that many Americans carry today, that dream being that maybe they too can evolve into economically dominating people. This dream has become known as the American dream. The American dream is enticing because it can be pursued and achieved by anyone, white, black, rich or poor. The American dream is the pursuit of a perfect life. The problem with this dream is that there is no defined end to it. When do you know that you have reached the point of a perfect life? All people can have a different answer to that question. To me a perfect life would be a good family, job, and a good circle of friends, in other words a happy life. To another person it may mean a large mansion with a 150,000 dollar car, or maybe a life in which you enjoy your job and you make just enough to do the things you want like go surfing or hang out with your kids. Or maybe it is getting rich so you can get the girl of your dreams. The undefined end to the American dream can lead to greed and corruption, or the idea that nothing is good enough and that you always need more. It is a never-ending search for more money or more fame for some. For example a story about the bad side of the American dream is James Campion the man behind the Enron fiasco. He was making a decent living but something in him got greedy and made him have to get more and now he ruined his life. There are many horror stories about the American dream like this one.
             F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby shows the bad side of the American dream.