American Ideals The Grapes Of Wrath And The Great Gatsby

Austin Iverson AP English American Ideals: The Grapes of Wrath and The Great Gatsby Throughout history there have been certain political and social ideals that have been upheld by most individuals in American society. These ideals include liberty, equality, and pursuing the American dream. Many of these American ideals can be seen in the classic novels The Grapes of Wrath and The Great Gatsby. Both novels take place within two decades of each other in the same country but with vastly different circumstances. Specifically, each book demonstrates these ideals in a different way and they are embodied by the desires of individual characters. But in general, the meaning and quest for each of these ideals is nearly identical and they are collectively displayed by the needs of human kind as a whole. Liberty is defined as the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one s way of life, or more simply, the power to do as one pleases. The right for all Americans to liberty has always been an important part of society. The constitution even states that â€Å"they [American citizens] are endowed with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.† The sentence after this in the constitution states that governments are made to protect these rights and that democracy will be used to regulate the government. The Grapes of Wrath is a perfect example of the exploitation of liberty and the corruptionShow MoreRelatedThe American Dream By The Declaration Of Independence886 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Dream Introduction The American dream is the hope in freedom which enables all citizens to achieve their goals through hard work. The American dream is a belief of equality and prosperity in America. The American dream is a set of ideals that allows society to have high standards of living through hard work of citizens. The country has no barriers and every member who works hard has an equal opportunity. The hope of having a sense of social equality is the American dream (Stalp). ItRead MoreDeath of a Salesman Analysis Essay2107 Words   |  9 PagesMany works of literature have the theme of a failed American Dream, which is the basic idea that no matter what social class an individual may be, they still have an equal ability to achieve prosperity and a good life for their family; however, there has been much debate over whether or not the American dream is still obtainable in modern society. One piece of American literature that substantiates the fact that the American Dream can not be gotten is Arth ur Miller’s Death of a Salesman which describesRead More Censorship in the Classroom Essay2774 Words   |  12 Pagesbeliefs on every level, but most especially through what their children are doing in school; that is the level on which they possess the most power, and the level they want to protect most. Censors want their children to grow up having the same ideals and values that they have.    Sex, on the other hand, is a weakness of authoritarians, one they dont want to pass on. Mr. Righteous [the censor] would never admit it, but if he fits the profile, he has a very active imagination. He fantasizes