Homework Assignment #1: Kamp

Jacqulyn Dubidad                                                                                           January 8, 2014

AP English                                                                                                      Period  3

                                                            The Way We Were

            The term “American Dream” can be interpreted in numerous ways some people say that reaching the American Dream is to be the next Bill Gates or having a mansion, two dogs, a pool, or even a building with their names on it. However in the article The Way We Were by David Kamp proves that the American Dream has changed over the years from being a reachable goal to being nothing but a dream. Kamp   begins the article by proving his credibility with providing an anecdote, he tells a little story about how as a child growing up he did not want to end up the same place he was now, he wanted his life to improve and go forward however it turns out that instead of taking one step forward he took three steps back. By using the anecdote we as the readers understand that he too faces the same struggles we as “Americans” are facing and the readers will trust him on what he has to say. Throughout the article he proves that the American Dream has altered we got the term “American Dream” from the Declaration of Independence where the, “upper classes to put the common man on an equal footing with them where human rights and self-governance were concerned..”. Although somehow we changed the “Dream” we made it unrealistic and that is why many people have not made it anywhere in their lifetime. Kamp said, “What needs to change is our expectation of what the dream promises- and our understanding of what that vague and promiscuously used term “American Dream,” is really supposed to mean. We are so focused on the materialistic things in the world that instead of focusing on the important things we waste our time on spending money we don’t have. By proving this point Kamp makes several references to different people and states what they have accomplished for example when he uses Obama, he states that many Americans would love to be president and even set that as their goal but realistically they will not be because that’s not really a reachable goal. Kamp states that, “Home ownership was the fundamental goal, but, depending on who was doing the dreaming, the package might also include car ownership, television ownership….and the intent to send one’s kids to college.” The “American Dream” was supposed to be one broad idea but over the years we have added so many “details” into that one broad idea that the “American Dream,” is no longer attainable to some and seems to be deteriorating.