One definition of the American Dream is "the ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative".

Another definition is "an American social ideal that stresses egalitarianism and especially material prosperity".

The American Dream can also be defined as "the belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or what class they were born into, can attain their own version of success in a society where upward mobility is possible for everyone".

America has always been seen as a symbol of freedom and opportunity. The basic essence of the American Dream can be rooted in the Declaration of Independence. We are given the rights life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However basic these rights may seem in our modern Western culture, the idea was revolutionary when our nation was established. These promising rights have given America a reputation for being a nation of self-made success.

The Declaration of Independence was not the only thing that made the American Dream possible. The American economy also has influenced the ability to achieve success through hard work and dedication. The supply of natural resources in America and the diverse climate has supported a successful economy. A thriving economy is a key factor in employment. This, paired along with the right to pursue happiness, makes successful careers attainable by many people.

The idea of America being a place for freedom and opportunity existed before the Declaration of Independence. America has always been seen as more religiously tolerant than European nations. Some of the first settlers came to America to escape religious discrimination. Lack of a strong monarch to implement religious laws paved the way for other freedoms and opportunities.

I hope that I can personally thrive off the American Dream to build my future. I hope that through dedicating myself to schoolwork and, in the future, my career, I can gain financial success. I would like to become a successful businessperson and earn enough income to comfortably support my family and give to charity.

I do believe that America is a place that holds massive opportunity for all types of people. However, I don't think that everyone's dreams are attainable just through hard work. The tremendous popularity of the American Dream creates fierce competition. Although many people thrive through the Dream, I don't think it is as absolute as definitions suggest.

For this project, I interviewed my father, Noyan Garemani. He immigrated to America from Iran right before the Revolution occurred there. He was 10 years old at the time. Due to the violence in his home country, the American Dream was a symbol of freedom. It gave him an opportunity to hope for success, even though he didn't have his career planned out at the time.

When my father was in high school, he started to become a successful junior tennis player. His ultimate dream was to become a professional tennis player. However, he realized, through playing on the college tennis team, how ridiculously competitive the sport was. He found different passion in business and built his career after graduating from UCLA.

My father's take on the American Dream is that success is much more attainable in America than in other countries. For example, many of the wealthiest people in America are self-made. However, there are many obstacles to success such as competition.

My personal American Dream is similar to that of my father's. This is partially because I have grown up with his influence.

These dreams are similar to the original definitions of the American Dream, although the opinions of my father and I are more skeptical.