Alyssa Moore
Schwery
ELA P.2
25 October 2014 What it means to be an American
The definition of an American or the American dream varies from person to person. Everyone has a different perspective on what it means to be an American. Not only do different people have different views and definitions of the American dream but people value the American dream differently.
The American dream to me is the opportunity and freedom to be what you want and do what you want when you want to do it. Now my definition can be broken down.
For example as Americans the word freedom can be interpreted many different ways.
We as Americans have the freedom to do what we want as a career or freedom of speech but maybe we don't have freedom from our parents or significant others.
People born in America aren't the only people who can have the American dream. Immigrants that come to America come for the shot at the American dream. A lot of immigrants come here to have a better life than they would have in their homeland. Immigrants view America and the best place on earth that start a new life and have a better one than the one they are currently living.
In my opinion immigrants or people who aspire to be an American put a higher value on the American Dream than people who are born in America. Americans don't

take full advantage of their opportunities that they get. “The rich promise which the New
World held out to those who came to it from many lands is finding