Pursuit of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby and in...

The American Dream has always been a driving force in the lives of Americans. It has become a foundation of ideals and hopes for any American or immigrant. Specifically, one of the ideals that always exist is the dream of America free of class distinction. Every American hopes for a society where every person has the opportunity to be whomever he or she desire. Another ideal in the American dream is the drive to improve the quality of life. As one’s idea of the American Dream gets closer and closer, often times political and social ideals of America cause their American Dream to take a turn for the worst. The American Dream has become a motive for success for both Americans and immigrants. The dream is what draws foreigners to†¦show more content†¦The American society expects only certain things from certain people, ruining the American Dream for residents of America. In The Great Gatsby, Myrtle represents the low and ignorant class of America. She is a model for citizen who tries to break the social barriers that the society puts up and pursues wealth by any means necessary. Although people that goes extend themselves outside of their social class is achieving the American Dream, the society has its limits. When Myrtle receives a compliment made about her dress, she acts snobbish and blows off the comment. Nick sees the act that Myrtle has put on just to be a part of the upper-class society. The people around her easily recognize Myrtle’s fraudulence. Similar to Myrtle, Troy Maxson soon realizes that the society has its limits that affect the American Dream. In Fences by August Wilson, Troy Maxson sees how African-Americans are suppressed in the society he lives in. He believes that all African-Americans are â€Å"born with two strikes on you before you come to the plate† (69). Troy is always cribbing about the disadvantages of being a African-American and how his American Dream of playing baseball was jaded by th ey society. For both Troy and Myrtle, they have both realized that with each society come political and social ideals that destroy their American Dream. Society has an ideal about the American Dream that as you get closer to your own American Dream, your quality of life isShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Fences By August Wilson1240 Words   |  5 Pagesyoung, they are told to â€Å"dream big† and â€Å"shoot for the stars†. Nothing seems impossible. As people grow older, they become more aware of reality and dim their childhood dreams to a more practical level. However, this light always remains in the back of their brain, keeping them wondering what if? What if they had continued to pursue this goal despite the likeliness of failure? Would it still be worth it? Fences by August Wilson tells the story of an impoverished African-American family in the 1950s andRead MoreFailure Of The American Dream In The Writings Of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zora Neale Hurston, And Augu st Wilson1418 Words   |  6 PagesThis literary study will define the failure of the †American Dream† in the writings of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Arthur Miller, Zora Neale Hurston, and August Wilson. Fitzgerald’s account of the Jay Gatsby s rise to fame in the 1920s defines the failure of financial success as part of the American Dream. Gatsby will eventually die due to his excessive greed, which is not unlike the emotional death of Willy Loman as he fails to become a successful salesman in Author Miller’s Death of a Salesman. More

Native American Tribe The Tribes Of Now Arizona And New...

Starting in the 1400s, the Native American tribe called the Dineh occupied the territories of now Arizona and New Mexico. In their language, Dineh means â€Å"the people†, in which they call their homeland Dinetah. They got the name Navajo from the Spanish so that they wouldn t get confused with the Apache tribe, for they looked very much alike. The Navajo had a unique lifestyle and focused on art, religion, and farming. They had many conflicts with their neighbors and especially the United States Army. When they were relocated to different parts of the South, they had the integrity and unification to presume their traditions, especially their art and religion. The Navajo had a lifestyle that is not too diverse than the American style of living today. They lived in homes, raised livestock, and the public had roles that are a bit similar to ones in our society. They lived in cone shaped houses called hogans. At first, logs and poles were used as framework, but in later years, they used stone or adobe. The doorways always faced east so that the first thing the family saw was the morning sun. They also raised livestock to increase herds instead of the usual in which the tribe would use up the supply for food. They first received goats and sheep from the Spanish, in which they used for meat, milk, and wool. They also acquired horses at about the same time. Horses gave them greater mobility during raiding and hunting activity. The roles of the people are also similar to the worldShow MoreRelatedThe Apache Indians Long And Proud Culture1803 Words   |  8 PagesAs we know, the first Americans to inhabit what is now the United States was not the Europeans, but instead Native Americans. Part of our great nation’s history involves history that is not always so great. Our country has endured many wars, struggles, economic and agricultural hardship and history that many would call shameful. However, the United States has evolved over hundreds of years and has transcended its very existence and influenced every corner of the globe, because of those past hardshipsRead MoreThe Apache Indians Long And Proud Culture Essay2231 Words   |  9 PagesThe First Americans As we know, the first people to inhabit the United States were not the Europeans, but instead the Native Americans. Part of our great nation’s history involves a history that is not always so great. Our country has endured many wars, struggles, economic and agricultural hardship and a history that many would call shameful. However, the United States has evolved over hundreds of years and has transcended its very existence and influenced every corner of the globe, because of thoseRead MoreWar Between Europeans And Indians1745 Words   |  7 Pagesas, mutual feelings of being superior, have infused relations between Native Americans and non-Natives in North America. Intertribal conflicts among the Indians, and nationalistic rivalries, lacking faith, and expansion desires on the part of non-natives worsened these tensions. The resulting white and native conflicts often took a particularly bad turn and resulted in the near destruction of the native people(Native American). War between Europeans and Indians was common back in the 1600s. In 1622Read MoreArizona’s Historical Development2438 Words   |  10 Pagesdates back to thousands of years ago. Arizona holds the second largest amount of indigenous/ Native American population of any other state in the United States. One of the first groups of people to live on Arizona’s land was the Native Americans, or otherwise called the American Indians. These Natives came much before any of the Europeans, or the Spanish settlers came to Arizona. There were three main Native American groups that truly began the exploration of Arizona. These groups include the AnasaziRead MoreArizona s History And Government1131 Words   |  5 Pagesownership of land titles, Arizona has shed tears of joy and tears of fear. Enveloped in a war-like atmosphere within its society and its culture Arizona continues to find its own identity, filled with diversity and a more united way of living. Long before Mexicans and Europeans entered Arizona land, it was occupied by indigenous nations. These Indian tribes, also known as the Cochise tribes were made up of 3 specific groups: The Hohokam, Anazazi, and the Mogollon natives (Gawronski, 14). OriginatingRead MoreAlbert Kinsey Helped Change The American Public s Preconceptions On Sexuality935 Words   |  4 PagesEssay Question #2 Albert Kinsey helped change the American Public’s preconceptions on sexuality by publishing two bestselling books from 1947 to 1953 on the topic. Titled â€Å"American Sexual Behavior† and â€Å"Sexual Behavior in the Human Female†, these books both confirmed and challenged the generally held beliefs dealing with marriage, sexual gratification, and sexual orientation. Sex was deemed important for a healthy marriage, adultery was frequent and homosexuals weren’t weird anomalies. Hugh HefnerRead MoreThe Apache Indians Essay1108 Words   |  5 Pages The Apaches, like most Native Americans, have no written history other than that written by white men. But the story of the Apaches did not begin in the American Southwest but in the northwestern corner of North America, the western Subarctic region of Alaska and Canada. The Apache Indians belong to the southern branch of the Athabascan group, whose languages constitute a large family, with speakers in Alaska, western Canada, and American Southwest. The fact that the Apaches originated in the westernRead MoreEssay on Navajo-Hopi Lande Dispute1679 Words   |  7 Pages When first considering the Navajo-Hopi land dispute as a topic of research, I anticipated a relatively light research paper discussing the local skirmishes between the two tribes. However, my research has yielded innumerable volumes of facts, figures and varying viewpoints on a struggle that has dominated the two tribes for over 100 years. The story is an ever-changing one, evolving from local conflict to forcible relocation to big business interests. The incredible breadth of the disputesRead MoreThe Mexican American War Essay1570 Words   |  7 Pagesneighbors, The United states and Mexico during 1846 to 1848 was a defining for both the nations. United States became a continental power as Mexico lost half of its territory, the present American Southwest from Texas to California. THE GEOGRAPHICAL BORDERLANDS The region which Mexico lost to united states is a region with own diverse history and culture. It is the present day states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Mexican, Native American and Anglo American cultures were clashed and blendedRead MoreAmeric The Columbian Exchange1180 Words   |  5 Pagesencounters between europeans and natives of the American continents resulted in a vast diffusion of food, livestock, technology, and diseases. This later became known as the Columbian Exchange. Two of the most influential things to be traded between the groups was horses, used for hunting and agricultural improvement, and diseases, such as smallpox, measles, yellow fever, typhus, and malaria. Diseases depleted many Native American populations, destroyed American Indian societies , and allowed europeans

McDonaldization of Society Free Essays

Ritzer’s theory of McDonaldization proposes a new interpretation of modern world order, social structure of society and business relations. Efficiency is one of the main components of McDonaldization. Ritzer (2000) explains: â€Å"McDonald’s offers efficiency, or the optimum method for getting from one point to another. We will write a custom essay sample on McDonaldization of Society or any similar topic only for you Order Now For consumers, this means that McDonald’s offers the best available way to get from being hungry to being full† (9). Efficiency helps companies to adopt particular cause of action. Efficiency means the best solution to meet the needs of parties involved. Efficiency involves the identification of a problem or issue which requires consideration. At this stage there will be a decision to do nothing or pursue the issue. For instance, fast food restaurants help customers to save time and money. People can buy meals in a short period of time ‘without leaving their cars’ (9). Efficiency can be explained as rationality, fast service delivery and low cost solutions.   Continued change is inevitable and likely to develop at an even faster rate. â€Å"The fast-food model offers people, or at least appears to offer them, an efficient method for satisfying many needs† (10). A salad bar is a vivid example of efficiency: a customer buys a plat and creates a salad himself. By keep ­ing the objectives in mind and always looking for ways in which both parties can work together to achieve their common objectives, it should be easier to reach a mutually acceptable service. If efficiency concept is followed, the company is required to identify possible courses of customers’ action to solve the problem. www.expedia.com is a travel agency which follows an efficiency principle in order to deliver quality services at low cost. ‘Self-service’ is the main tool used by Expedia Travel. A client can plan his trip or vocation according to his budget and wants. A client calculates the price of his trip himself and can reduce its cost choosing a cheaper hotel or flight. This self-service presents opportunities for diverse customer groups. This approach is interesting to everyone who wants to plan a good vocation at low cost. On the other hand, a client is forced to spend more time on planning and organizing process, mastering new technology and computer skills. The case of Expedia travel shows that in changing environment, the use of technology requires more problem solving skills and the ability to interpret data. Routine tasks requiring a low level of skill are disappearing fast. Used in conjunction with flexible planning, efficiency requires a customer’s participation in service delivery. Using this approach many firms adopted that principle understands it as clients’ participation in planning which have the potential to improve the quality of their work. Any improvement here is said to be beneficial. Important in the above is the recognition that involvement of clients in examining problems and seeking to develop solutions is only one part of the efficiency approach. Moreover, all manner of developments and improvements are discussed in the context of the strategy that management has agreed upon in order to turn the company around. Through involvement of all parties and by bringing in new skills new ways of doing things are sought. Ritzer’s concept of ‘efficiency’ shows that involvement of a customer/client in service delivery process helps companies to reduce operational costs and time. Ritzer underlines that a modern consumer pays for this privilege. Beyond this it is essential that customers are given a chance to seek out and develop cost-effective solutions. Works Cited Ritzer, G. The McDonaldization of Society. Pine Forge Press; 2000. How to cite McDonaldization of Society, Essay examples

Assumption of Risk Who is to Blame For Our Action Essay Example For Students

Assumption of Risk: Who is to Blame For Our Action Essay sAssumption of Risk: Who is to Blame For Our ActionsThe doctrine of assumption of risk clearly defines the responsibilityof all voluntary actions taken on by individuals, independent of the inherentrisk or danger involved with such actions. Are we only to assume responsibilityfor the positive outcomes of our actions, without also accepting the negativeoutcomes as well? Most individuals only claim responsibility in cases in whichthey are fully responsible for their actions. Living within a country whichhouses a large amount of private enterprise, we often find ourselves relying onoutside help. In many occasions we, the individual seeking assistance, hold thepower to choose which avenue of help will be taken. In these cases in which wehave the choice, should we not also be held responsible for the outcomes of ourdecisions, especially in cases in which we have been pre-warned about anyinherent risks or dangers? For example, When we take it upon ourselves to driveon a private road, smoke cigarettes, work for a mining company, or fly on adiscount airline at our own volition, do we tacitly consent to takeresponsibility for any outcome these actions may hold? The assumption of riskdoctrine seems to ignore the fundamental obligation of entities to ensure theirnatural goals. The distinguishing factor in deciding responsibility infaultless cases which call on the assumption of risk doctrine is the controlheld by individuals after the situation has begun. In accordance, companiessuch as discount airlines and cigarette companies must take on theresponsibility of completing their duties, while individuals who chose to workin a mine or drive on a private road must accept the responsibility of theiractions to do so. All airlines hold the responsibility of transporting their customersfrom a point of origin to a previously designated destination. The person whoagrees to buy a discount airline ticket, which warns to fly at your own risk,is entitled to receive the minimum service of transportation provided by theairline. The individual traveler should assume no other benefits other thantransportation. The airline company claims this act of transportation to be itsgoal of services rendered. Independent of difficulties which may arise incompleting this goal, the airline may not alter the basic duty which it iscontractually obligated to perform. The airline tacitly consented to performthis basic duty the moment they began transporting individuals for an acceptedpayment. Once an individual has boarded the airplane they render all controlover their safety to the accepting airline which holds the minimumresponsibility of returning the individual back to a state of safety once theirduty is complete. The me re nature of airplane transportation forces theindividual to render total control over themselves to the airline. Thistransfer of control holds the airline responsible for any action which may occurdue to the obvious lack of responsibility in the hands of the individual. Oncethe plane has closed the cabin they withhold all control of an individual overthemselves, and must grant the service promised. The individual may demand theright to existence and hold the company liable once they hold the power todictate all aspects of the situation. One problem which arises within the situation is that of somethinghappening which the airline holds no control over. Any difficulties which arisedue to the daily routine of the airplane fall under the responsibility of theairline. Even occurrences which are deemed unavoidable fall under theresponsibility of the airline because they hold total responsibility of theirclients once the cabin is closed. Due to the complete control the airline holdson the situation it may be assumed that the doctrine of assumption of riskapplies solely to the airline. In creating a situation in which the individualmust give up his/her right to self-substinance the airline holds fullresponsibility for any actions taken which may effect the safety of itspassengers. Anytime the airline engages in profit making acts, such as cuttingcosts, they increase the risk upon themselves in return for extra monetarybenefits. Monique Abdelsayed EssayAlthough the company acknowledges the dangers of working in the mines, it is thedecision of the workers to accept the risk or find less hazardous job. Theindividual holds the power to work in the mine or not. Unlike smoking, the mineholds no addictive qualities which force the workers to stay. The workerassumes full responsibility for his/her actions due to the choice to work in ahazardous area. Since the company never gains control over the worker, theworker stays in full control of the situation given the apparent risks involved. The only instance in which the mining company gains some power over theindividual is in the case of monetary concerns. If the individual can onlyobtain work at the mine and relies upon the income produced, it seems clear thatthe company then holds some power over the individual. Although, this power islimited by the mind set of the individual to determine the actual importance ofmonetary gains. Since the mine holds no addictive quality which forces theindividual to work, the worker holds a free mind to decide what qualities oflife are most important. This freedom to decide releases the company fromresponsibility of any problems which may arise as a result of the mine work, andplaces all burden on the individual. Some may argue that the mining company holds some responsibility overthe well-being of its employees. These beliefs support the idea that thecompany should provide the greatest amount of safety precautions for theirworkers. This can be witnessed through the use of safety equipment, medical aid,and protective gear. Since the company has already warned about the risks, itbecomes the burden of the individual to purchase these items for themselves. The company only holds the obligations to inform the workers of such availableequipment. If the workers feel this is unfair they may quit working andpossibly force employers to engage in such safety precautions. Theresponsibility of providing payment for work is the only act which must be takenon by the employer after they have given the warnings about the dangers ofmining. The rest of the responsibility lies in the hands of the miners who holdthe power to decide where they work. The final case regarding responsibility of actions lies on a privateroad which warns individuals of falling rocks. The sign posted at the beginningof the road clearly states any dangers and makes the reader aware of theapparent risks. The fundamental obligation of the road is similar to that ofthe airplane in that it must provide a means for transportation from point A topoint B. However, the road differs from the plane in that the person driving isin control of the situation at all times, and never gives up control over theiractions. The speed of travel, length of stay on the road, and the decision totravel on the road are all decisions made by the individual and have a directeffect on the safety of the individual. In this case the driver becomesresponsible for his actions on the road. The owner of the road met therequirements set upon him by providing means of transport and warning of anydanger; all other responsibility lies in the able hands of the individualdriving the automobile . The responsibility of any given action remains in the hands of those incontrol of the action at any given time. As seen in the airplane and cigaretteexamples, proper warning does not warrant lack of responsibility if theindividual holds no control over the outcome of the action. The mining companyand private road examples show how responsibility lies in the hands of theindividual as long as control over the situation is also controlled by theindividual. It is clear to see that responsibility for any given action remainsin the hands of those who hold control over the situation. Philosophy