The American Dream

We immigrants like Somalis always talk about American dream and we have to know what is it. What is the American Dream, and who are the people most likely to pursue its often elusive fulfillment?

Indeed, the American Dream has come to represent the attainment of myriad of goals that are specific to each individual

While one person might consider a purchased home with a white picket fence her version of the American Dream, another might regard it as the financial ability to operate his own business. Clearly, there is no cut and dried definition of the American Dream as long as any two people hold a different meaning. What it does universally represent, however, it the opportunity for people to seek out their individual and collective desires under a political umbrella of democracy.

In the fifties, the 'age of suburbia', the American Dream was epitomized by the ability to own a home, live in safety and in a community of like minded souls. The great exodus from the cities to the suburbs defined the American idea of the good life'.

The American Dream was and always will be something that makes America great. It allows those with aspirations to make them come true. In America alone needs is a dream and the motivation to carry out that dream. Ambition is the driving force behind the American Dream.

It allows any one that has an aspiration, a desire, a yearning, to carry out the individual dream. It knows no bounds of race, creed, gender or religion. It stands for something great, something that every one can strive towards. A dream can be a desire for something great.

In America, the American Dream allows dreams to become realities. According to Webster's New World Dictionary, the American Dream is defined as "An American social ideal that' stresses egalitarianism and especially material prosperity". To live this dream is to succeed. It allows anyone, rich or poor to have the opportunity to succeed. It is the ability to come from nothing and become so me thing. To succeed at any thing you do, you must have patience and persistence. It requires hard work, persistence and a desire for something better. To have these qualities and the desire and ambition to carry the moutis part of the American Dream.

The Somali Mothers and daughters are clearly struggling to maintain their culture and traditions. while still seeking after the American Dream. They all try to have a relationship with each other that is exemplary to the viewing eye. One attempts to excel in Islam religion while another at science. Still others are merely striving only to be looked upon in a respectful way. Trials with husbands and the gain of independence from them is a great step to their American Dream. Also, the freedom and respect from their mothers is being sought after and is soon found. The goals of each of the characters were met with persistence and the other aforementioned qualities needed to obtain one's own dream.

The Presidency of the United States of America is an office that exemplifies the American Dream. In the past 25 years, we have had two farmers and an actor become President. Jimmy Carter was a peanut farmer, and the late president Bill Clinton was also a farmer. Ron al d Reagan was a " B" movie actor. They all shared the same dream, to become President of the United States. And today we have president Barack Oboma, the first black USA persident whose father is from Kenya. And they all succeeded. What they accomplished was part of the American Dream. They all had a yearning and a desire to make their dream work.

That was all they needed. Their job is to make the American Dream possible for others. They are all living proof that the American Dream is possible for anyone. Every day many reap the benefits for carrying out their dream; for not giving up when things seemed to be most bleak. Every day someone else has a dream, and every day many act on it. We truly live in a land of opportunity. The American Dream is a derivative of the principles upon which this nation was founded. This nation was founded by people who had a desire for freedom and a desire to create home in their own nation. That is the American Dream.


Humble families have almost every thing that the portrayed Hollywood families have, but it is not enough because our society today is stricken with greed. We all want more, more, and more. We aren't satisfied with our health, money and family. To live the American dream, you have to believe that you can make it and allow hard work ethic and morality to take its role in out life. We don't understand that other towns a round the United States are far less superior to us, and we don't understand how lucky we are to be living this dream. The Bible states:


Among us, there are many people who have been living the American Dream. Whether it was soccer stars, actors, or even our own friends. Many people who are living this dream don't even realize it because they want even more than they already have. We see them as greedy. Even I feel that I am living this dream. “Humble is at own full of spoiled children who have been living the dream since they were born, and only know, at this age, they a restarting to realize it."(Delahoussaye)

The people that the students a tour school and in other wealthy owns see as living the American dream are sports stars and actors. They are living the dream because they have it all, or so it seems. Even actors and sports stars have their problems. Maybe drug or family, but we hardly ever catch a glimpse at his side.

A poor Scottish lad named Andrew Carnegie immigrated to America as a teen and built up the world’s largest steel mill and became the richest man in the land. Through his philanthropy he gave it all away and helped build our great libraries while reminding us: "No man becomes rich, unless he enriches others."(Capozzoli, 7) It’s OK to fail. After over 10,000 attempts, Thomas Edison finally invented the electric light bulb. Henry Ford put America on the road with the Model T.

So, we somalias also have a lot of work to do to taste the Americam dream. Unfortunately, we are the only nation in the world who is stateless and we are called a nation with no country. So, who wants the American dream when we can't even make peace ourselves and build our country. We, issha allah, will become a great peaceful nation one day, and at the sametime we will pursue the American dream