American Dream and Hollywood

American Dream, what is it?

- Pride

- success

- work hard

- free choice

- freedom

- happiness


"The phrase's meaning has evolved over the course of American history. The Founding Fathers used the phrase, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." it began as the opportunity to achieve greater material prosperity than was possible in their countries of origin. For others it is the opportunity for their children to grow up and receive an education and its consequent career opportunities. It is the opportunity to make individual choices without the restrictions of

Is the American Dream reality now?

Of course Barack Obama becoming president on the United States is a major step forward for Americans, being the first black president shows how far America has moved on since the days of Martin Luther King.

However isn't it about greed?, when i watch American TV programmes like The Hills, where it is meant to be real life teenagers living there lives, to be happy it seems to have loads of money big houses and want they want they get, so is this the American Dream? Americans also seem to have the reputation of being over the top and having to be the best, which i suppose is pride in their country but can also be portrayed as greed and show offs.

OK, so i have talked about the basics of America Dream, but how is the American Dream presented in Hollywood films?

Films are great way of showing the American Dream to the world and it is not completely forced upon and learn about it while being entertained. Films like Forest Gump, where a message that even of your are not the most capable if you try your hardest you can succed in life, Also a stable family can lead to a better future.

Another two films are Of Mice and Men, which was originally a book by John Steinbeck and has been made into a film a few times. This follows to men living in America trying to make themselves a better life, by having the dream to work together on the own land and "live of the fatta the land".

Pursuit of Happiness, with Will Smith, is a really good example of the American Dream. Mainly because "Pursuit of Happiness" is part of the saying of the American dream. It is about "Chris Gardner has big dreams for him and his family but it doesn't seem to come together for him. Chris has an opportunity to be a stock broker but first he has to go through a grueling internship which means no pay. Chris decides to do it but when his wife leaves and he is evicted, he has to take care of his son on his own. So they find themselves sometimes living on the street and struggling to get by. But Chris is determined to make it."