The American Dream Is Everyone s Dream - 1934 Words

â€Å"I think the American Dream is everybody’s dream.† When Ralph Lauren, the corporation, chose this quote from their respective patriarch as the basis for an advertisement in October 2017’s issue of Esquire Magazine, they were making a bold, blanket statement. They also made an assumption. While this advertisement uses many traditional American stereotypes, portraying a sense of optimism and nostalgia centered around civic nationalism, it makes a mistake in itsit’s overly broad appeals that render the ad ineffective; the American dream is not everyone’s dream, it’s not even every American’s dream. To make sense of this, one must define both â€Å"The American Dream† and â€Å"eEverybody† within the context of this statement. The American Dream may†¦show more content†¦The Jeep is known as the vehicle that won World War II. The family represents the idea that America is a place where one’s children ca n grow up to maximize their full potential. These items are all tied together by their identity within an American context. Of these classic American stereotypes, the cowboy hat atop Lauren’s head carries with it as much nostalgia as nearly any other possible non-government affiliated symbol (i.e. the American Flag). The cowboy hat represents American concepts such as the west, wide open spaces, and manifest destiny. A secondary interpretation, which actually makes more sense in the context of the ad, being that the form and shape of this hat renders itself much more commercial than functional, is that the hat references the â€Å"Golden-Age of Hollywood,† a time in 1950’s and 1960’s America when Western film was at its height and â€Å"every† young boy in America wanted to be John Wayne. On an even deeper analysis, one may notice that the pose of Lauren in this photograph bears a striking resemblance to a famous portrait of President Ronald Reagan in his cowboy hat and work shirt. President Reagan is known, at least among conservatives, as a champion of the free work. They revere him for his economic policies that were pro-capitalist and for his work to fight communism and end the Cold War. The shape of their respective hats, the styles of clothing worn by the two men, the angle at which the two photographsShow MoreRelatedWho Is The American Dream? Essay1679 Words   |  7 PagesAmericans because they often think of The American Dream as a way or path to greater times. The American Dream gives hope for Americans because it gives them freedom, hope and it also encourages us to achieve goals that will make our life a lot easier in the future for future generations and ourselves. 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