The American dream has many paths and the definitions of achievement are

different for everyone. The most common factors of the American dream are being
successful, freedom and happiness. (Sandler, 2011) n the past generations the
additional factors of money and possessions has increased. !e all hope to strive for
this dream, but ho" many people actually achieve this dream# s the American dream
an obtainable goal or self$destruction of bro%en dreams# &aving a good 'ob, money
and o"ning a home at one time considered the pinnacle of success. (Sandler, 2011)
This "as the infrastructure that led to the final goal, "hich "as retirement, and being
debt$free in our golden years.
The components of the American dream myth are different choices for different
people the components chosen for this analysis are departure, initiation, return. The
artifact chose for this representation "as &asbro(s )ame of *ife. The ob'ect of this
game is to first chose a college education or career and "or%ing through the various
choices such as "hether to buy and house or mobile home. +oes the person "ant to
ta%e the safe or ris%y path through life# ,arents bought this game for their children in
hopes of teaching them the choices and sacrifices along the path to retirement.
The departure is the person choosing to depart for college the first step in
achieving the necessary s%ills for a good 'ob. (Sandler, 2011) This is a -uest of choices
ensuring either easy or hard path in obtaining the ne.t step. The choice includes a field
of study, "hether to intern or to go beyond the four$year degree. (Sandler, 2011)
nitiation is the trials of having a successful career upon graduation and the
chosen path of "or%, marriage, home and family. n choosing an artifact for this
component, the e.amples of +iane /eaton(s character in the 1012 movie 3aby 3oom
the perfect choice. The character is an established career$minded individual "ithout
any inclination of having children until she receives a baby after relatives die. The
overall theme is the baby thro"s her life into chaos, she changes her lifestyle and
leaves the cooperate "orld to care for the baby. (4bert, 1012) n the end, she achieves
satisfaction and happiness operating her o"n catalog business and living in the country.
The choice of marriage and family is a derailment sometime for "omen "hen business
even in today(s society feel that balance "or% and home re-uires a sacrifice of
contributing to the company(s bottom line. (Sandler, 2011)
The return is the person has survive the 'ourney through life and reach the age of
retirement and can no" advise the younger generation of the "isdom he or she learned
on life(s -uest. (Sandler, 2011) &as he or she achieved the American dream# That
depends on the individual standards of achievement and the ascertainment of their
goals to the degree of happiness or if the trials "ere not "orth achieving, the goals and
their dreams is bro%en in the end.
n today(s society the path to happiness ta%es on many forms and not al"ays
traditional. follo"ed a less than traditional path, as an older student the -uest for a
degree is sometimes 'oyful. n the times that the path is full of strife in balancing a full$
time 'ob, family and school have led to a simplifying in other areas of life. n
ac%no"ledging the less desirable path to younger family members, it has increased the
goal of ascertaining a college education.
5eferences
4bert, 5. (1012, 6ctober 02). 3aby boom. 5etrieved August 21, 2011from
http788""".rogerebert.com
)ail, S. (n.d). To American "omen in midlife, the s%y is indeed falling. 9SA Today.
5etrieved from August 2:, 2011Academic Search ;omplete
)ame of life instructions. http788""".hasbro.com
SA<+*45, *. (2011). The american nightmare7 !e have everything the American
+ream prescribed, So "hy aren=t "e happy#. ,sychology Today, >>(2), 20$22.
5etrieved August 2:, 2011 from Academic Search ;omplete