Essay on Reaching for a Dream in Literature - 1381 Words

Selfish Dream Everyone has their dreams and whoever puts all his or her efforts and determination in pursuing that goal is the one who will succeed. However, there are dreamers who have misconceptions about the art of dreaming. In three pieces of literature I have encountered: â€Å"The Achievement of Desire† by Richard Rodriguez, â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† by Lorraine Hansberry and â€Å"Fences† by August Wilson, its characters fight for their dreams regardless obstacles in their life. Nevertheless, they expose their sense of self-absorbance while seeking their dreams. Dreaming and aspiration are human senses, but when one considers his or her dream more important than the others, dreaming becomes another aspect of selfishness. In general, to fulfill†¦show more content†¦Blindingly pursuit his ideal life, most importantly, the man has lost his social skills which he assumes himself a â€Å"bad boy†. Even though the man has enough intellectual knowledge to get aware of his temporary problems, he does not make any changes. His selfishness dynamically expresses later on in adulthood. He admits that he is always unconfident, sad and anxious. Moreover, he develops a sense of disrespect to his parents. He makes fun at correct their grammar mistakes; He get sick of their constant encouragement; He is disgraceful parent because they can help him with his homework. The character obviously does nothing to compensate for his parent sacrifice. He is an outstanding student, but in the human sense, he fails to be an educated person. He once admits: â€Å"He cannot afford to admit his parents (How could he still and pursuit such a contrary life?). He permits himself embarrassment at their lack of educatio n† (Rodriquez 3). He may think that now with an excellent education, he is in a higher level than others including his parents. Therefore, he feels ashamed of them. Getting rejected from the society and suffering a state of loneliness are a pricey cost of success that Richard Rodriquez’s character decides to take. People expose the selfishness when they dismiss others’ aspiration base on their perspective. August Wilson’sShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1278 Words   |  6 Pageswhen it was first released it has made up for lost time and is now one of the greatest classics in American literature and being read in classrooms all across the United States. What actually denotes a book as a classic or great, though? In my opinion, a lot of it has to do with what a person needs at the time. According to James L. W. West III, leading Fitzgerald scholar and English literature professor at Pennsylvania State University, â€Å"[Gatsby] never seems to lose its modernity; it has that kindRead MoreEssay about Symbols of a Worn Path679 Words   |  3 PagesSymbols of A Worn Path Mitchell Davis Freshmen Comp Critical Literature-Based Essay Friday, March 12, 2009 Symbols of A Worn Path Phoenix Jackson; an old negro woman that partakes on a journey to take medicine to her sick nephew that is off in another town. Phoenix is old and through the story there are many accounts that I think are symbolic to being of age. Being one with nature Phoenix Jackson is determined to travel through the forest to tend to her sick nephew. The story itselfRead MoreSymbols in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay1143 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Gatsby is one of the most read pieces of literature throughout the current modern Western world. High school kids all across the globe must learn and read it as part of their curriculum. One of the aspects that makes this novel so notable is that Fitzgerald, at no point in the story, needs to convey to his audience the theme of his novel directly. The main points of his novel are brought out by the powerful symbols he infuses in the book. Not only does he use them to convey his themeRead MoreThe Great Gatsby And Harlem By Langston Hughes1089 Words   |  5 Pagesroaring 20’s was an astounding time in the history of the United States of America. Many authors published novels, poems, and other works of literature to show their readers what it would be like to experience this time frame. Some examples of these works include The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzg erald and â€Å"Harlem† by Langston Hughes. Both of these pieces of literature include literary elements to appeal to the reader’s senses and imagination. A prevalent theme that has been found in works of the roaringRead MoreAnalysis Of The Jungle And Good Enough By Upton Sinclair1567 Words   |  7 PagesIn today’s modern era, worldwide immigration has increased at historic rates, leading to the inevitable evolution of the challenges immigrants face after arriving to a new country. The analyzation of immigration literature gives readers valuable insight into the lives of immigrants and the hardships they face. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair follows the lives of a Lithuanian immigrant family in the early 20th century as they strive to attain success by working in the meatpacking industry of PackingtownRead MoreMen in The Sun, A Review Essay736 Words   |  3 PagesGhassan Kanafani is one of the famous Arab writers who represent resistance literature. His writin g was mainly devoted to depict the struggle of his people and ignite new resistance acts against Israeli forces of occupation. The writer affirmed the strong determination of the Palestinian people to liberate their occupied lands whatever the cost would be. Kanafani was a writer and journalist from Acre, the editor of al-Hadaf. A member of the Political Bureau of PFLP and its spokesperson, he publishedRead MoreNegative Capability within Kubla Khan Essay1029 Words   |  5 PagesThere are a myriad of critical theory lenses that can be applied and utilized to closely observe pieces of literature. One of these theories is John Keats’s Negative Capability theory which consists of an idea of â€Å"†¦when man is capable of being in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact reason†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Keats 968). Ultimately, this signifies that in poetry the emphasis be placed on the significance of inquisitiveness and the asking of questions o f the life and sceneryRead MoreApplication For Admission At Kent State University1077 Words   |  5 Pagesearning my Master’s Degree in English and Comparative Literature from Tours University in France, I worked for nine years as an English and English as a second language instructor in higher and secondary education institutions in France, the Middle East and in the state of Ohio. Now I have decided to take my professional career to another level by undertaking a doctoral program that will prepare and capacitate me to teach English language and literature in higher education institutions. The decisionRead MoreOne Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest Critical Analysis1479 Words   |  6 Pagessees them not only while he is awake, but also in his slumber. Bromden alerts the reader of a dream that he had, in which a death of a patient occurs, the dream becomes a reality later on when the same patient is found dead. The hallucinations and dreams can help to better understand Chief Bromden’s character from looking at Sigmund Freud’s â€Å"Interpretation of Dreams†. By looking at the content of one’s dreams it can be a good indication of an individual s mental stability. Bromden’s thoughts and motivationsRead MoreAmerican Literature in the Period between 1914-1945887 Words   |  4 Pagesdance, and music, and also literature. The American literary of the 1914’s-1945 modern era became a reflection of a nation attempting to come to terms of what it really meant to be of modernity. First, there was a time period when America was prosperous with the growing new innovations that shaped America to today’s foundation. America has also faced the tremendous downfalls such as the Great Depression, greatly impacted Americans’ outlook on â€Å"reaching† the American dream. Gregory Rodriguez stated