The question I decided to research for this project was, “Why is the American Dream an impossibility?” (societal, psychological)

First, what exactly is the American Dream? As defined by Adam Barone in his article, “American Dream,” the American Dream, “is 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” (1). It is the idea that everyone in America is able to move up in the world and achieve success.

The idea of the American Dream can be traced back to the Declaration of Independence, which states that all men are created equal with certain innate rights. The phrase was coined first in James Truslow Adam’s book, “Epic of America,” in 1931 (Barone 2). The American Dream is not a static concept, and it has changed over time. Regardless, getting an education, running a business, and owning a house, have long been hallmarks of achieving the American Dream.

Now that we know exactly what the American Dream is, have we seen it hold true for everyone, historically? The short answer is no. Going back to the Declaration of Independence, the rights espoused in the document almost solely applied to white men. Minorities, especially African Americans, have had countless more obstacles to overcome in order to achieve “success.” In early America, slavery and racism made it truly impossible for minorities to achieve the standard American Dream (Barone 10). Historically, women have also faced difficulty in finding equal footing and opportunities as their male counterparts. Looking at our society today, with all the progress we have made, shouldn’t the American Dream be possible for everyone?

Again, the answer is no. Or at least not to the same degree. We now see a greater disparity in economic status. According to Michael Hout, who conducted a study investigating incomes in an article entitled, “Americans’ occupational status reflects the status of both of their parents,” Americans in the 1940-1950s experienced a much higher degree of upward mobility that those in the 1970-1980s (5). This means that it was much easier to rise from your socioeconomic status in the mid-nineteenth century compared to later in the decade. As time progressed, Hout saw that complete social mobility, in fact, does not exist. To an increasing degree, a person’s income will rely on that of their parents’ as it becomes harder to advance in American society (Hout 5).

Inversely, Barone found that, “the top 10% of the income distribution earned roughly a quarter of all income and held more than three-quarters of all wealth” (14). These numbers illustrate the vast gap between the wealthy and poor. The very rich control most of the money. In fact, the wealthy have experienced more growth that all other groups in recent years (Barone 14). So the rich continue to grow richer, as it becomes increasing difficult for those from lower socioeconomic groups to advance in society. More than ever before, you are tied to the group you were born into.

Gatsby is clear examples of the failures of the American Dream in the novel “The Great Gatsby.” Gatsby, wanting to progress in the world, works arduously and honestly under Dan Cody. Unfortunately, all his work went to waste, as his inheritance was stolen from him (Fitzgerald 100). Gatsby had been one of the greatest believers of the American Dream, but saw firsthand the flaws in this ideology. Ultimately, Gatsby is only able to accrue his fortune through illegal bootlegging, which is essentially the antithesis of the American Dream (Fitzgerald 133). Gatsby also lies and manipulates in order to convince people that he had achieved the ideals of the American Dream, like homeownership, being an entrepreneur, and having an education (Fitzgerald 129).

Fitzgerald also portrays the negatives of the American Dream in the wider story as a whole. Every character who tries to improve their fortunes and statuses, including Gatsby, George Wilson, and Myrtle Wilson, ends up dying. This is in contrast to those with old money, like Daisy and Tom Buchanan, who face no consequences for their actions and actually survive and prosper (Fitzgerald 162). Fitzgerald illustrates the large gap, both monetarily and motivationally, between the rich and poor which is still present today.

The American Dream, while an idea as old as our country itself, is still a concept very prevalent in society today. Hopefully what I have said to you today has made you see where the idea fails. While in an ideal world, with everyone equal under law, everyone would start at the same place and be given the same opportunities. Unfortunately, this is not the reality of the real world. By looking at the data, we see exactly why the American Dream is impossible for everyone. This is not to say you cannot make your own way in the world, only that your future has been proven to be tied to where you started.

Michael Hout states, “declining social mobility has unmasked inequality of opportunity as the drag of social mobility it has been at least since the 1960s” (5). Inequality, especially between socioeconomic classes, restrains our society from achieving the American Dream. Everyone is born with different privileges, which effect their potential for upward mobility. This should be kept in mind when placing significance in the idea of the American Dream. It is a positive idea that brings hope to many, but it is important to understand the restrictions of the concept.

Works Cited

Barone, Adam. “American Dream.” Investopedia, Dotdash, 27 Mar. 2020, https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/american-dream.asp, Accessed 25 Apr. 2020.

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 2018.

Hout, Michael. “Americans’ occupational status reflects the status of both of their parents.” Proceedings of the NAtional Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 4 Sept. 2018, https://www.pnas.org/content/115/38/9527, Accessed 25 Apr. 2020.