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Synthesis Essay Example: Is the American Dream Still Achievable?

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If you got a task to write the American dream essay, it is a perfect opportunity to put your argumentative synthesis skills into practice. To compose an excellent ap lang synthesis essay, check out this synthesis essay example and see how it should be written.

Is the American Dream Still Achievable?

Striving for wealth, power, and recognition has been one of the top human priorities since time immemorial. Americans were raised to believe that hard work and effort secure their future of financially successful and socially established people. However, the entrenched belief in the American dream has been undermined in recent years, so it is logical that Americans begin to doubt the idea of a treasured meritocracy. Moreover, the notion of the American dream is no longer linked geographically to the USA as other countries like Canada and Denmark offer more favorable conditions to reach this goal. Therefore, having decided to achieve social and economic success, you should not only rely on your workmanship and exertion but also consider your childhood environment and background.

For a dream to exist there should be people believing it. Owing to the low spirits currently haunting our nation, the reality of the American dream becomes highly questionable. According to the survey conducted by Public Religion Research Institute, 7 percent of all Americans state that the American dream was never true, whereas impressive 48 percent say it once was true but does not exist anymore (PRRI 2014 American Values Survey, p.12). This poll shows that people realize it takes more than hard work to be successful in life.

To assess our chances of living the dream, we should contemplate the inborn conditions, such as childhood environment, family structure, and community. It has been common knowledge that many factors affect our ability to prosper, but a recent close study of social mobility proves that the American dream expects more from you than a mere effort. The research done by Raj Chetty, the Professor of Economics at Stanford, indicates that children’s income in adulthood depends greatly on the social and financial status of their parents, the neighborhood in which they grow up, and area segregation (Chetty, p.39-40). Thus, the American dream is no longer a matter of your personal craving for better life and assiduous work.

Given the current state of our economy, it cannot guarantee equal opportunities for all members of our society to become successful, as “the fundamental elements of the American dream are becoming increasingly unaffordable for the majority” (Eskow, 2014). The living standards grow slowly whereas income inequality increases, which “implicates policy decisions” (Bivens, Gould, Mishel, Shierholz, 2014). What used to be called “the American dream” is now perceived as national survival.

Since basic desiderata have never been at the top of the hierarchy of needs, the thought of comfortable and hassle-free existence seemed very attractive. However, the mythologized American dream appeared to be an ambitious, yet rather difficult and prearranged enterprise. Many people lost their faith in greater future due to the growing social and economic inequality and the related conditionality. So, is it possible to live the dream? Yes, but not for everybody. If you were not lucky enough to be born in a full and wealthy family living in a good neighborhood, it would be a tough challenge with no guarantees whatsoever.

Bivens, J., Gould, E., Mishel, L., & Shierholz, H. Raising America’s pay: Why it’s our central economic policy challenge . (2014, June 4). Economic Policy Institute.

Chetty, R. (n.d.).Improving opportunities for economic mobility: New evidence and policy lessons .

Eskow, R. (2014, October 22). 7 facts that show the American dream is dead : The key elements of the American dream are unreachable for all but the wealthiest. AlterNet.

PRRI 2014 American values survey . (2014, September 23).

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English: Mr. Horne AP Language Research Paper

  • Mr. Horne AP Language Research Paper
  • Death of a Salesman
  • The Glass Castle

Are you living the dream?

american dream ap lang essay

  • Blair student-level Database Passwords Use your mcpsmd.net username and password to access the document. Updated 09/04/2024

Assignment: AP Language Research Paper

  • 2022 AP Lang Research Paper
  • Vanity Fair: Rethinking the American Dream (David Kamp) Provides excellent background for either play and helps define and deconstruct the American Dream. I have put this on your sample "works cited" list.

american dream ap lang essay

  • Miller's Death of a Salesman (Explicator) From ProQuest: Learning Literature. You will receive the password to access this document in class. There are at least two other articles in PLL from the Explicator. Make sure you cite them correctly. This article is on your sample works cited list.
  • Wilson's Fences (Explicator) From ProQuest Learning: Literature. You will receive the password to access the document in class. This is included on your sample works cited list.
  • NPR: Hidden Brain - Zipcode Destiny: The Persistent Power Of Place And Education Hosted by Shankar Vedantam. It has a full transcript.

american dream ap lang essay

Reference book chapters for background reading (Gale / Cengage)

  • Drama for Students: Death of a Salesman (vol 1) This will come in handy and citing it can be tricky. I have put some entries on the sample works cited list. Use the Gale / Cengage password for this.
  • Drama for Students: Fences (volume 3) This source will work for nearly everyone and a citation is included on your sample works cited list. Use the Gale / Cengage password for this.

The American Dream

Source Credit: 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll April 26, 2016. www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/04/what-is-the-american-dream

Source Credit : 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll April 26, 2016. www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/04/what-is-the-american-dream

Databases for Background Reading

american dream ap lang essay

Databases for Literary Criticism

SIRS Knowledge Source

Research Tools

  • MLA Style Center Excellent help from the Modern Language Association. Perhaps even better than the OWL for understand the elements of a citation, for right now.
  • Noodletools Your teacher will spell out the requirements for use in the assignment.
  • Turntin.com Your teacher will spell out requirements in the assignment.
  • 2019 Sample Works Cited List for American Dream This list includes several entries for items discussed during the presentation as well as several from databases and websites.

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  1. How to Write an American Dream Essay: Example and Tips

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  2. American Dream Essay- Education

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  3. The American Dream: Overview (600 Words)

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  4. American Dream Springboard Essay Example

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  5. 📚 Essay Example on a Concept of the American Dream

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  6. American Dream Essay Rough

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VIDEO

  1. What is AP Lang

  2. Summary of The Play American Dream/ English

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  5. The American Dream

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COMMENTS

  1. American Dream Essay Example

    If you got a task to write the American dream essay, it is a perfect opportunity to put your argumentative synthesis skills into practice. To compose an excellent ap lang synthesis essay, check out this synthesis essay example and see how it should be written.

  2. PDF ENLGISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION Total time 2 hours

    OSITION SECTION IITotal time. 2 hoursQuestion 11(Suggested Time—40 minutes. This question cou. ird of the total essay section score.)IntroductionThe Roaring 20's was a time of perceived economic prosperity that laid the groundwork for what would eventually become commonly known as the American Dream—an early depression-era ideology that ...

  3. Synthesizing the American Dream: [Essay Example], 629 words

    The American Dream is a dynamic and multifaceted concept that has evolved over time. It reflects the aspirations and values of individuals and society as a whole. While historical roots tie it to notions of opportunity and freedom, contemporary interpretations emphasize a broader range of goals and desires. Keep in mind:

  4. Synthesis Essay Materials

    The two synthesis essay questions below are examples of the question type that has been one of the three free-response questions on the AP English Language and Composition Exam as of the May 2007 exam. The synthesis question asks students to synthesize information from a variety of sources to inform their own discussion of a topic. Students are given a 15-minute reading period to accommodate ...

  5. Gatsby Essay

    How the great gatsby conveys the American Dream AP LANG gats: the american dream and pursuit of happiness the american dream, in the words of james thurlow. Skip to document. University; High School. Books; ... Profile Essay - An assignment on how writing/language has an effect on us personally. Literacy Essay; Preview text. Gatsby: The ...

  6. PDF AP Language and Composition Free Response Essay

    5 Essays earning a score of 5 evaluate the veracity of the American Dream. The evidence or explanations used may be uneven, inconsistent, or limited. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student's ideas. 4 Inadequate Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately evaluate the veracity of the American Dream.

  7. PDF AP English Language and Composition

    AP ® English Language and Composition Sample Student Responses and Scoring Commentary Inside: ... Synthesis Essay 6 points . Since the early 2000s, the United States government and a number of corporations have sponsored initiatives to improve education in the STEM ... "Concerned that American students are lagging behind internationally in ...

  8. AP English Language

    The American Dream & The Great Gatsby Presentation by: Jared Worrell, Samuel Dominick, and Michael Gonzalez Overall Message (Source A) Source A provides an African American composed poem. Throughout the poem, the writer continually refers to himself as America, implying that he is

  9. LibGuides: English: Mr. Horne AP Language Research Paper

    English: Mr. Horne AP Language Research Paper. Mr. Horne AP Language Research Paper; Death of a Salesman; Fences; The Glass Castle; ... See this volume for several thematic essays: The American Dream in the Twentieth Century, The American Dream Today, The African American Dream. Miller's Death of a Salesman (Explicator)

  10. AP English Language and Composition Exam Questions

    Download free-response questions from this year's exam and past exams along with scoring guidelines, sample responses from exam takers, and scoring distributions. If you are using assistive technology and need help accessing these PDFs in another format, contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 212-713-8333 or by email at ssd@info ...

  11. PDF AP English Language and Composition

    It is suggested that you spend 15 minutes reading the question, analyzing and evaluating the sources, and 40 minutes writing your response. Note: You may begin writing your response before the reading period is over. (This question counts for one-third of the total essay section score.)

  12. PDF AP® ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION

    Each example provided is thoroughly developed, and the essay's control of its language, organization, and thinking is especially impressive. For example, "the 'tomato soup' analogy" works well to start building the student's argument. The essay is stronger than those that received a score of 8 because of its impressive control of ...

  13. Synthesis Essay Ap Lang American Dream Teaching Resources

    This is a 6 source Synthesis essay designed for practice by AP Lang students that prompts the student to create and defend an argument on the merits and drawbacks of thin slicing - a topic heavily explored in Gladwell's book Blink. This would be a great assignment for students, whether of not they have read the book.

  14. PDF Student Performance Q&A

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    es are presented in. 2021 College Board. e and Composition 2021 Scoring CommentaryQuestion 1 (continued)demonstrates a deep understanding of the tensions present and offers a cogent explanati. n for why the response's position is ultimately more relevant. Finally, the response consistently explores.

  16. AP Language and Composition argumentative essay

    14 Pages • Essays / Projects • Year Uploaded: 2021. This document gives a complete example argumentative AP language and composition essay that uses sources, evidence, and reasoning to argue why the traditional idea of the American Dream is only true for some select groups.

  17. AP Lang Synthesis Essay Example: Prompt- American Metaphors

    This essay is an example of a Synthesis Essay from AP English Language and Composition. This essay uses precise grammar and effective rhetorical devices to ... , <America= 1 has been compared to a dream, a promise, a contract, a city on a hill, a melting pot, a salad bowl, a quilt, and an experiment. ... A large sign reading "I am an American ...

  18. PDF AP English Language and Composition

    AP® English Language and Composition 2022 Scoring Guidelines . Synthesis Essay 6 points . Since the early 2000s, the United States government and a number of corporations have sponsored initiatives to improve education in the STEM ... "The United States should place more emphasis on STEM initiatives so that American students can keep up with ...

  19. PDF English Language and Composition Reading Time: 15 minutes Suggested

    The following prompt is based on the accompanying six sources. This question requires you to integrate a variety of sources into a coherent, well-written essay. Refer to the sources to support your position; avoid mere paraphrase or summary. Your argument should be central; the sources should support this argument.