To say simply that an American is whoever is born here or who has taken an oath of citizenship is like saying that the Bible or a contract is just ink markings on paper. It is true that a Bible is ink markings on paper, but it is not just that. And if America is just the sum total of those people we call citizens, then we have deconstructed or dumbed-down our ideals. The American Dream for most people includes nice things (new car, phone, TV, etc.) the problem with this dream is that it’s always just a little out of reach.

Although there are dreams that come true but, to me I think no one may experience their American Dream. To me there is no exact way to define an American. In my opinion an American is someone who believes in hard work, equality and will reach for opportunities even when you don't know there is one. Although the American spirit can not be captured with only three topics, it will have to do. Although hard work is, well......hard it may be essential to achieving your “dream”.

Hard work must be the key to success. No one has a successful life by their definition without doing a little hard work. “Immigrants have no assurance of success in a new land with different habits, institutions and language.” But they, like all Americans, understand that the timid achieve nothing and forgo even that which sustains us through the worst times: hope. Immigrants founded this country in the late 1400s. They had no idea what was ahead of them and yet they saw what it could be and went for it. Immigrants are America, they come to this country for a better life and will work till they break bones to get it. Immigrants are the essence of hard work. Without equality the minorities would have a rougher time than they do now.

Equality is about creating a “fair” society where everyone can participate and has the opportunity to fulfill their own potential. “We hold the truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” This is a direct quote from the engrossed copy of the Declaration of Independence. With equality in the field of play everyone will have an equal opportunity at the same job as long as they both meet the required skills for the job. This may not be true all the time however but you still are born with the right to be equally treated as the next person. However, that does not mean people will treat you the same as the next person. It’s up to you to decide how you are treated affects you. Taking opportunities is an important thing for most of our lives.

Without opportunities we would have to rely on only ourselves and not each other. When someone earns an opportunity it may lead to experiences you’ve never had and that will forever change you. “An American is anyone who loves life enough to want the best it has to offer. “Americans are not automatically satisfied with their current situation.”What the author (Huggins) is saying here is that as an american you should never be truly satisfied with your current situation. Americans take opportunities when they are given them for an abundance of reasons. For one they may be in need of a helping hand or . Regardless of the reasons opportunities present a benefit in life that we may all need some day.

Although some Americans may never have worked as hard as they can for their success, the fact that they even try to do better than what they have, that is how you make your American dream. Its the idea of you taking the hand you were dealt and squeezing everything you can out of it. Being an American comes with certain “responsibilities” that require certain people to work much harder than others. Your job as an American is to take your “responsibilities” and achieve your goals in life.