This image depicts people of different generations on a line to get lottery tickets. However, the older generation explains that in the “old American Dream,” people didn’t need to rely on luck because it was all about the effort you put into what you wanted to achieve. Now in the new generation, many people rely more on lottery tickets because the effort you put in will serve nothing for you, it’s really about luck now. This picture is meaningful because it shows that the American Dream is not the same as it was before. In the past, the American Dream meant to people that wherever there was America, there was an opportunity,  prosperity, and a way to being successful and it required hard work with fewer barriers. This and many other advantages were the reason why my parents and other people came here. This also is the reason why I valued being an American because I was in a country where I had faith in government treatment towards its citizens. Now not so much. We now live in a society where the “American Dream” is fading. There’s no more “you can be successful through sacrifices and hard work”. It’s more of  “If you're lucky enough you can be wealthy and flourished.”

  This picture depicts a guy who is rich because he is standing on top of a pile of money. He is holding a sign that says “tax cuts” because he believes that he should be able to keep all his hard working money. However, when he sees a group of people who are probably of the middle class, protesting about their problems he screams at them saying they just want “free stuff.” This picture is meaningful to me because it shows a lack of equality in our society. The American Dream for me has always been to be able to pursue what you want in life without so much difficulty. However, given the fact that America is a capitalist country, one of the disadvantage is that there tends to be an uneven distribution of wealth. America tends to cater more towards the rich class when in fact the middle class is in need of much greater help. Tax cuts help the rich class because they become wealthier but, it affects the middle class because tax helps the middle class survive. People like me and my family being apart of the middle class, this makes it harder for us to be able to afford houses and other necessities. This picture shows us what’s happening in today's society and this is bad because it’s luring people like me away from the American dream.

       In this picture, the statue of liberty is holding a drink that says “liberty” and a book that says “freedom from goofiness.” The statue is surrounded by the police and the former mayor telling it to drop the drink that represents liberty. This picture is meaningful to me because liberty is very important. Every day we pledge to “liberty and justice for all.” Yet, people’s liberty is being taken away. Not everyone has access to higher education or jobs. Tim Farron explains the reason being is, “Nothing robs you of your liberty more than poverty, ill health, poor housing, or a lack of education.” One key component of the “American Dream” is liberty. Everyone wants to be able to live in a society where their life is in their hands. If we live in a society where liberty is limited, then is there really a chance for the “American dream” to be accomplished?

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   Overall, the American dream should be something that everyone can have a chance to pursue. Whether or not you were born in America or not, you should be able to succeed in what you want to do without having to undergo so many obstacles. I want to be able to live my version of the American Dream and for others to do so too. However, it’s sad to say that the “American Dream” is slowly becoming just a dream. People come into America expecting more opportunities yet, aren’t really given any. Today it’s all about chance but I pray for the day where everyone’s dream becomes a reality.