American Dream

The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States, the set of ideals (Democracy, Rights, Liberty, Opportunity, and Equality) in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers. In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" regardless of social class or circumstances of birth.

The American Dream is rooted in the Declaration of Independence, which proclaims that "all men are created equal" with the right to "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

History

The meaning of the "American Dream" has changed over the course of history, and includes both personal components (such as home ownership and upward mobility) and a global vision. Historically the Dream originated in the mystique regarding frontier life. As the Royal Governor of Virginia noted in 1774, the Americans "for ever imagine the Lands further off are still better than those upon which they are already settled". He added that, "if they attained Paradise, they would move on if they heard of a better place farther west."

American Dream (disambiguation)

The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States in which freedom includes a promise of the possibility of prosperity and success.

American Dream and American Dreams or American Dreamz may also refer to:

Media

Film and television

Books

The American Dream (Mike Jones album)

The American Dream is the name of an EP and DVD movie by Mike Jones. It was released through Ice Age Entertainment, Asylum Records and Warner Bros. Records on November 20, 2007. It was originally supposed to be released as an album but was down graded to an EP due to low confidence from the label. The EP includes two songs, "Still Tippin'" and "Back Then", from Mike Jones' last album Who Is Mike Jones?.

The release date of the album was originally scheduled for numerous releases between November 2006 and late 2007. His second album is called The Voice.

Producers on the EP are said to be Salih Williams of Carnival Beats and Myke Diesel. Guests are Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Snoop Dogg, and Bun B.

The EP successfully charted on multiple Billboard music charts, having been featured on the Billboard 200, peaking at #183. The EP performed considerably better on the Top Rap Albums chart, peaking at #10, and at #28 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Track listing

A Dream Play

A Dream Play (Swedish: Ett drömspel) was written in 1901 by the Swedish playwright August Strindberg. It was first performed in Stockholm on 17 April 1907. It remains one of Strindberg's most admired and influential dramas, seen as an important precursor to both dramatic Expressionism and Surrealism.

Plot

The primary character in the play is Agnes, a daughter of the Vedic god Indra. She descends to Earth to bear witness to problems of human beings. She meets about 40 characters, some of them having a clearly symbolical value (such as four deans representing theology, philosophy, medicine, and law). After experiencing all sorts of human suffering (for example poverty, cruelty, and the routine of family life), the daughter of gods realizes that human beings are to be pitied. Finally, she returns to the Heaven and this moment corresponds to the awakening from a dream-like sequence of events.

Interpretations

The use of a dream to represent a setting in a theatrical work appealed to the traditionally realist author in that Strindberg expresses realistic concerns such as materialism, class struggle, gender role struggle, and the destruction of traditional marriage in (as stated in the preface) "the disconnected but apparently logical form of a dream. Everything can happen; everything is possible and likely."

The American Dream (play)

The American Dream is an early, one-act play by American playwright Edward Albee.

Productions

The play premiered Off-Broadway on January 24, 1961 at the York Playhouse. The play was produced by Theatre 1961, which was formed by Richard Barr and Clinton Wilder. Directed by Alan Schneider, the cast featured John C. Becher (Daddy), Jane Hoffman (Mommy), Sudie Bond (Grandma), Nancy Cushman (Mrs. Barker) and Ben Piazza (the Young Man).

The play was presented Off-Broadway at the Cherry Lane Theatre in September 1962 in a double bill with The Zoo Story, directed by Schneider.

The play was produced Off-Broadway at the Cherry Lane Theatre from March 23, 1964 to November 8, 1964, in a double bill with Dutchman by LeRoi Jones. Schneider directed, with the same cast as in 1961.

The play was presented Off-Broadway at the Cherry Lane Theatre from April 1, 2008 to May 3, 2008 in a double bill with The Sandbox. Directed by Albee, the cast featured Judith Ivey (Mommy), George Bartenieff (Daddy), and Lois Markle (Grandma).Kate Mulgrew took over the role of Mommy on April 22, 2008, but had to leave the show causing it to close on May 3, 2008.