The American dream is something common to most individuals, but it is something that everyone sees in many ways. The American dream is different for everyone, but they share some similar aspects of it. The dream is mainly based on the context in which one lives and on one's social status. for example, the Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson, an upper-class white man. He needed freedom, but freedom for people like him who owned white lands. Martin Luther King, in his I have a Dream speech, also called for freedom, but especially for African-Americans like himself. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in his book The Great Gatsby that he wants to eliminate the rich, of which he was one. Each American dream is somewhat different, but all relate to the times in which we live. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wanted equality for land-owning white men. His American dream was to be free from the United Kingdom and to be treated as equals. This dream only confined people like him, white people who owned land. Those who signed the document were all part of this class. They were the ones leading the revolution, so Jefferson thought they were the ones who should be able to see the benefits. In the text, it speaks of “merciless Indian savages”. it is clear that they were not considered equal. Jefferson also wrote “We, the Representatives of the United States of America.” He was referring to himself and everyone who signed the Declaration of Independence, none of whom were women or black. Jefferson also wrote "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that... middle of paper ...... 'friends' did not even care not enough. come back to his funeral. Fitzgerald was one of the rich. He had a lot of money, drank a lot, partied often and had affairs. His American dream was associated with the category he was a part of, similar to Jefferson and King. All their dreams go hand in hand with being the society they belonged to. Fitzgerald needed a change, just like everyone else, but he needed to change who he was. Jefferson and King had to change different people's views about them. The American dreams of Jefferson, King, and Fitzgerald shared similarities. All their dreams had to fit the socio-economic class they belonged to. Jefferson's dream forbade whites from owning land, King's dream forbade African Americans, and Fitzgerald's dream forbade the idle rich. All their dreams also forbade change for the better.