Edwin Chen
Wendall Douglass
English 104 – 23
19 October, 2014
Essay 2: Instructor Draft
The Myth Of Individual Opportunity In America
The Myth Of Individual Opportunity is defined as “the chances of success” an individual
would have. Does every single person in America have their own individual opportunity? After
reading Class In America by Gregory Mantsios, Horatio Alger by Harlton L. Dalton, Serving In
Florida by Barbara Ehrenreich, opportunities are limited but we have to go grab the opportunities
by ourselves. The “American Dream” is something that everyone in America would know about
since every person in America would have one. A goal is what creates the “American Dream” in
America since everyone would only want certain things that are important to them. Every single
person tries to get their own “American Dream” while they are in America which gives them the
opportunities of a life time. We chose the opportunities we want and try to get it in our hands as
a goal that we want. I agree with the authors because the opportunities are goals that have to be
obtain if we really want it as our “American Dream” even if there are obstacles in our way.
The rich class seems to have opportunities when they are born but it is not the same for
everyone. From the article Class In America by Gregory Mantsios, he explains that the
opportunities are given by our parents and are passed on unless we go for a different opportunity
than what we are given from when we are born. Some individuals that started from being poor to
rich, is a rare case since it barely happens. Some individuals remain the class they chose to be
because the “American Dream” is where they choose to be whatever we want to be. No matter
how much we are criticized about the class we are based on our gender or race, we have
achieved the “American Dream” that we have chosen from the opportunities that are out there.
Opportunities are out there but we have to go for them even if an obstacle is in the way. Some
obstacles that are in our way is how we are supposed to be treated equally.
Everyone seems to be treated equally but this is not true. In the article Horatio Alger by
Harlon L. Dalton, he explains that not everyone is treated fairly. “Black folk certainly know what
it is like to be favored, disfavored, scrutinized, and ignored all on the basis of race.” (261)
People have the potential to go for an opportunity but some people that are mistreated don’t get
the opportunity since they think they can’t. “Nevertheless, it is by now generally agreed that
there is a large category of Americans – some have called it the underclass – for whom upward
mobility is practically impossible without massive changes in the structure of the economy and
the allocation of public resource.” (262) It isn’t true since they can show their potential by
proving to the upper class that they needed to be treated fairly that they can climb up beyond the
upper class if they just try hard enough. Even though they may fail at showing their potential,
they may still be recognized by someone who actually tried to do something about it.
Some people may be happy at what they do in their life no matter what obstacles they
have to go through every single day. In the article “Serving In Florida” by Barbara Ehrenreich,
she talks about going through life as a underclass that works two jobs to pay rent and other bills.
“Not only had I flamed out as a housekeeper/server, I had forgotten to give George my tips, and,
for reasons perhaps best known to hardworking, generous people like Gail and Ellen, this hurts.”
(279) A few people that she met were happy even though they have to go through many
obstacles while working at 1 of the places she was working at. Some people’s “American
Dream” may be to go through many obstacles to go for a goal to the opportunity they want.
These obstacles can shape who they are as they grow and change to something that is beyond
what they were aiming for. Happiness can be anything to an individual’s “American Dream”
since some may not need much to be happy or anything at all as long as they have an important
thing that keeps them that way.
Opportunities are given but they have to choose the one they want otherwise they
wouldn’t have an “American Dream”. One of the few basic things we need for our “American
Dream” would be money since an individual’s opportunity may be affected by it besides the
class, race, and gender they are. The environment that everyone is surrounded by needs money
since it is used to get what we need to survive and obtain the opportunity we have chosen.
Money is what everyone has but can be given as long as there is someone to give it to you which
would be the government. The government is an obstacle that an individual has in their way to
obtain the opportunity they want. Even though there are many obstacles that we have to go
through for our “American Dream”, it helps shapes us to who we are now since we can use what
we know to make our own “American Dream”.
Work Cited
Gregory Mantsios. “Class in America-2009.” Rereading America
Harlon L. Dalton. “Horatio Alger.” Rereading America
Barbara Ehrenreich. “Serving In Florida.” Rereading America