The American Dream has traditionally meant the chance at a better life in a new land. The hope of better opportunities is why many families give up everything they have for a better life for their children. For many people, this means huge houses and a job that pays great. Having the white picket fence and large amounts of land. But for some of us, it is the right to voice your opinion and to be able to practice a religion and not be arrested for it. It means being able to vote, not be judged by your gender, and an all around better life.
To me, the American dream means having the freedom of speech, to listen to whatever music I want to, to publicly disagree with our nation's leader and live to see the next day, and in many ways, my definition of the American Dream is similar to the traditional one. This dream influenced my grandparents to immigrate from the Philippines with hope of a better life. They left all they had behind so that their children and grandchildren will grow up in a society where people are not judged by the color of their skin but by what is underneath. This dream of my grandparents has come true, and I am living proof.
Not everyone in America is able to live out the Dream. Some people cannot achieve their dream because a lack of education. They might not have all of the opportunities they need to get educated and go to a good college. Other people decide to put more valued things before their dream, like their family. If there happens to be a family crisis and a person has to delay or even lose all hope of accomplishing their dream, then that keeps them from achieving their dream because their family means more. A lack of self-esteem can hold a person from reaching their dreams because they might be afraid to fail. Their family or friends might constantly put them down and it would greatly contribute to the state of mind that failure is not an option.
On the other hand, many people do attain their dream.