How to Write an American Dream Essay

The concept of The American Dream is very well-known. It is so widely used that its common knowledge nature made the meaning vague. Or, it is because this concept deals with many aspects on many levels.

In general, this term applies to the set of the life values of the American nation. Mostly it deals with the spiritual concepts, but it also describes material things for the citizens of the USA. The American Dream is one of the modern world symbols which got recognition far beyond the borders of the United States. As it happens with known symbols, it changed with time. Its representation and deconstruction were important subjects to reveal by many artists.

Thus, at the current time, the American Dream concept has many meanings. It can be used in its traditional meaning. Or, it can be parodied or criticized. With all its name and importance, it became one of the most liked topics for the students’ essays.

Suggestions for the American Dream Essay Subjects

The concept has a long history and lots of layers. This makes it ideal for the all-round investigation. It is understandable, that one essay can’t include all aspects of this topic, it is usually rather short text of about 500-600 words. However, it is also an advantage for any person to start working on the subject. You can choose the angle to look at this theme. And you can select yourself which side of the American Dream you will reveal.

Have a look at the below ideas for your essay, you might choose something from this list.

• Can you really achieve the American Dream?
• Do you know anyone who made that dream come true or at least thought so?
• Is the American Dream worth trying?
• How do the immigrants understand the American Dream?
• How is the American Dream represented in the works of art?
• What is the criticism of the American Dream in literature?
• How did movies introduce the American Dream in the historical context?
• What is the American Dream deconstruction?
• Is the American Dream lie?
• How the concept of the American Dream was changing with time?
• Can we live to pursue the American Dream in the XXI century?

There may be many more topics, and you can find your own. In any case, you are going to tell about this concept and make this story interesting. This is one of the humanities subjects which encourages the essay authors to be as creative as possible. Besides, essays are always informal, you should not compile long and serious documents. This subject wants you to tell a story to your audience.

How to Work on the American Dream Essay Structure

When you write an essay on this topic, you need first of all to define the goal of your text. Your vision will determine what you will tell about. For example, you can refer to the incarnations of the American Dream concept in the literature, music, and movies. Or, you can tend to the more down-to-Earth concepts of getting wealth. You can describe the main components of the American Dream. You can concentrate on the difference in the views of the Americans and immigrants. It is possible to look at this subject from different angles.

When you find the main idea of this work, you will need to find information to support your work.

Gather the Data to Support the American Dream Essay

It will depend on the theme you formulate which data you need. For example, if you want to explore the incarnation of this concept in different movies, select several of them. You will need to watch them personally to make your own opinion. Even if you already have seen them, do it again with a fresh eye. Refer to the critical materials for the professional reviews and the official information about the movies. This is needed because you are going to list them in the essay bibliography.

Note that your thoughts on the subject will mean much more than the opinions of the established professionals. The American Dream essay is your work. Feel free to refer to other people for support, but make them support your statements. There is a catch for the young authors when they might wish to replace their thoughts with someone else’s opinions. Don’t do this, and don’t be afraid of your own words.

Make a Plan of an Essay

The step of making a plan of the text can be omitted. If you are a person who keeps all the information in mind and can write the full text and then edit it – do as it is natural. Still, outlining the story is a useful method of data organizing.

• Write an introduction to your American Dream essay. In this part of the text, you can define the term from some official citations and explain how you understand it from your side. Another way is to ask a question. You need to use the introduction part to present the goal of your study as well.
• The introduction part is the most important fragment of the essay in terms of making the listeners or readers follow your story. This part must be brief and expressive. So, use additional materials. You can take someone’s quotations which present an original point of view on the concept. Or refer to interesting statistical facts – it depends on you. Just remember that if you fail to grab the audience with the introduction, you can lose it at all.
• Compile the thesis statements of your essay. Here you need to use all the information you gathered at the research stage. Define the main ideas which you are going to express in the story and write them down as the plan’s entries. Think of the best ways to describe your point of view and select some facts to support it. Refer to the personal experience, this always makes the story more vivid.
• Divide your text into paragraphs, where each one should be dedicated to one statement. Don’t make the story too long – it will be enough to have two or three paragraphs. Read each piece carefully and ensure it is logical. It means that it should be a mini-story itself with the beginning, the description, the arguments, and the minor conclusions.
• Compose the conclusions of the American Dream essay. It should be all based on the previously mentioned data. You can’t suggest any new data in the conclusion. It must summarize all the ideas which you expressed. So, give a brief analysis of the data you offered to the audience and formulate your attitude towards the subject.

Expressive Means to Use in an American Dream Essay

You are only welcome to make this story bright. Being one of the humanitarian subjects, this essay will demand a certain level of writing skills. This will be very useful if you deal with the representation of your subject in other art forms.

Use your natural language and write in colloquial style to make your American Dream essay sound personal. Use literary techniques to color the text and make it interesting. If that is appropriate, cite some anecdote – humor is one of the strongest expressive means. However, don’t let yourself get carried away too much.

Besides, even in the free form your essay must be logical, so, revise it a couple of times. Ensure that you have represented your goal and ideas properly and that the audience will not have difficulties with them. Check if the parts of the essay are connected, and each statement has its reasoning.

Thus, writing an American Dream essay can be fun. This subject allows different attitudes, and you may be either serious or humorous. The main thing about writing a perfect essay on this topic is the desire to compose an interesting story. Then make a plan, write it and enjoy the audience praising you.