The Ideal American Identity: Male. White. "American"?

The Ideal American Identity: Male. White. “American”?

A.B.

“I’m A., a woman, white and American.” What would you think if I approached you and introduced myself as such? If your reaction is anything like mine, you’d probably be a bit taken aback if I felt the need to mention such information concerning myself, my identity. Without ever really thinking about it or making a conscious decision to do so, I’ve always omitted it whenever I introduce myself. Perhaps this illustrates that I tend to take my Americanness, my race, and perhaps even my sex and/or gender for granted. I doubt that I’m alone in that. Have you ever considered your own identity? What parts of your identity are considered to be crucial? Is it your nationality, race/ethnicity, gender/sex? One thing I think we all need is to become more conscious of is how we see and conceive our own and others’ identities. Instead of taking them for granted, we ought to question them, and the categories out of which we build them.

Take me, for example. When I consider my personal ethnic and racial heritage, I have roots in Germany, England, Norway, and Denmark. However, there was never any heavy emphasis within my household on our heritage. Having grown up in the Western New York area my entire life, I had come to know a sizeable number of Polish and Italian families who carried many ethnic traditions, especially around the holidays.  My family was not one of these.  My ethnic heritage was something I could rattle off if someone did ask, but never did we associate strongly with one ethnic heritage or another.

            I tend to frequently identify myself in terms of my status as a student. Ever since I applied to college, my undergraduate major has become a key part of my identity.  I almost became prepared to readily spill out, “Hi, I’m A. I’m a Psych and Women’s Studies major.” The question of what my major was seemed to be a part of every opening conversation I had in college and outside of campus. Everyone always seemed to inquire as to what other people’s majors were, as if discovering the answer was to give some critical insight as to what kind of individual that person was. Some commonly overheard examples were: “Music? You must have no spare time.” “Biology? Oh my goodness, you must be really smart.” “Psychology? Are you trying to diagnose me right now?” “What the hell is ‘Women’s Studies?’”

            Perhaps one’s major, as well as the status of being a college student, is perceived as a way to roughly determine what one’s occupational and class status is. Indeed, I feel as though occupation is seen by American citizens as a sort of hallmark of an individual’s level of prestige, money, and power. We idealize the individual whose occupation is a doctor; we don’t idealize a person who works as a janitor. We assume that the doctor is more intelligent, more sophisticated, and perhaps even more compassionate than the janitor. In films and on T.V. shows, when a janitor is featured, he is almost always depicted as the poor guy being called to the cafeteria to clean up vomit. Conversely, doctors have whole dramatic series dedicated to them. In these ways, the doctor is essentially the ideal American, personifying the “American dream.”

            One of the primary ways we subscribe to the idea of the American dream is through our culture’s emphasis on family. I am A.B., daughter of J.B. and C.B., and a sister to C. and M. Locally--especially in smaller communities--strangers would like to think that they can tell a lot about an individual based on what family they come from. If a child’s parents are attorneys, that child may be held to a higher level of regard by someone who knows what their parents’ professions are. Even college enrollment can be partially contingent on a family member’s graduation from that particular college. Traditional family structures in western society also can have a significant effect on one’s gender identity and overall American identity.
            Furthermore, categorization is an important process within America. We categorize everything from sex to race to class. And when we are confronted with ambiguity, we grow extremely discomforted. For instance, consider a multiracial individual, whose race is ambiguous. One may grow uncomfortable and continue to try and pinpoint the individual’s race using various schemas, which have been built and perpetuated through society. Often our schemas harbor stereotypes and overgeneralizations, leading us to wrongly apply them to an individual. A minor problem that can then arise when a person is confronted with a multiracial individual is the application of stereotypes and overgeneralizations which could even lead for one to rule that the multiracial individual to have only one race, or even a wrong race. This instance can certainly be applied to any minority individual, for one may wrongly identify them as another race.

            One personal example of this includes my younger sister’s boyfriend, R..  When R. first moved to my sister's school, he was classified as Mexican and/or Black by many people, when in fact he is Puerto Rican. Friends of his would either be the source of the question or the receivers of the common question, "What exactly is he?" When people weren't troubling over what his ethnicity/race was, he was often called Mexican in a degraded sense and a "grape picker". Stereotypes were certainly at work: Latinos were invariably Mexicans and/or illegal immigrants. He even was asked by some of the teachers to pronounce a certain Spanish word or to translate, even though English is his first language, and he doesn’t feel particularly comfortable with his Spanish skills. There is certainly a need for people to become aware that despite the seemingly common core of values, Hispanic/Latinos are diverse and encounter different challenges and opportunities. Particularly within educational settings, Hispanic/Latino students must be looked at as individuals with unique characteristics, personal academic strengths, and learning styles.    

            American animator Mike Judge’s “The Goode Family” pilot provides a pop culture commentary that mocks both stereotypical "liberal" and "conservative" mindsets. The eponymous Goode family struggles with the social and environmental responsibilities of being American liberals, and the conflicts that arise for a working-class family when trying to be politically correct about everything all the time. Situations in the premiere episode included shopping at a natural foods store without having brought reusable bags, and how to refer to ethnic groups in a politically correct way. In the same episode, the Goodes explain their decision to adopt a child from Africa in hopes of promoting racial tolerance within their community. However, the Goodes end up with a Caucasian South African baby instead of the black child they expected. His name, Ubuntu Goode–taken from Ubuntu, a concept from African philosophy—means humanity, compassion, and goodness. This example, while humorous, demonstrates the very real misconceptions which people may have when considering Africa’s demographics. People in the West tend to use "black" and "African" synonymously, essentially leaving out all those who are African but not black. Also, not all black individuals are African. A similar situation arises when one thinks about how Western cultures characterize Asians. In the Americas, "Asian" tends to refer to individuals from China, Korea, Japan, and other Pacific Asian regions.  Conversely, in Europe, "Asian" is understood to mean Indian or Pakistani. The episode of “The Goode Family” demonstrates how individuals may believe they are aware of racial issues, yet fail to recognize their own ignorance. In addition, the application of stereotypes and the need to racially categorize people needs to be critically examined and challenged, for the effects can be detrimental to an individual’s own identity.

Another example of ambiguity which we grow uncomfortable with is ambiguity of gender or sex. Intersex conditions are often treated as a medical emergency that requires immediate surgical intervention. Concerns for the inability of parents to bond with the child appropriately due to the ambiguity of the child’s sex are a high priority for doctors treating intersex individuals.  This attitude suggests that an individual whose genitalia is ambiguous would find socialization and peer interaction difficult because their sex and gender is unclear. Consequently, there is a perceived need to label individuals within an appropriate sex box in order to socialize them into appropriate gender identity. Note the final steps of our birthing process, and how child birth certificates--which ask parents to specify the sex of the child--are due within 42 hours. As children grow, they are constantly learning about themselves, developing their own identity and how they are “supposed to act.” They learn what is deemed as appropriate gender-specific behavior. Gender typing is how children acquire not only a gender identity but also the motives, values, and behaviors considered appropriate in their society for their sex. Children conceptualize gender in a different ways depending on which level of development they are at, according to the cognitive developmental theory. However, to be exposed to gendered role content can highly influence their personal gender schemas.

It is clearly evident that children could learn the stereotypical characteristics from things such as fairy tales. Snow White, for example, emphasizes the importance of beauty and the ability to perform domestic housework. Beauty is what the whole story is based around for the evil queen wants to kill Snow White because she is the “fairest one of all” and the reason the hunter who is sent to kill Snow White is unable to commit the murder is because she is so beautiful and sweet. I feel that these scenes can easily influence a young girl into thinking that the greatest qualities for a woman to possess are youth and beauty. Snow White is also depicted doing stereotypical activities of a woman--like housecleaning. She is shown smiling, singing and happily doing domestic housework for the seven dwarfs almost on impulse after entering their cottage. She also makes the comment upon arriving into the cottage that whoever lives there must not have a mother. I feel that this comment assumes that it is a mother’s job to clean and care for the house, and that domestic chores are part of female nature.

A crucial part of American identity is the need to categorize individuals, whether it is race or gender or sex. We need clear-cut, definite answers, and are uncomfortable with ambiguity. This is a major flaw within American identity, for the need to categorize individuals leads to denial of parts of people’s true identity, whether they are intersex, multiracial, or perhaps both.            

When did I first realize I was a woman? I would have to say I was forced to realize this essential part of my identity when I first began to experience crude behaviors and acts from boys, and perhaps more disturbingly, older men. This included hearing wolf-whistles, seeing kissy-faces, being cat-called at, and having slow-moving vehicles with men inside them stare and give a thumbs-up as I walked down the road. Being a woman is certainly a crucial aspect of my identity, because despite being biologically female, gender plays a significant role in all aspects of my life. While growing up I experienced a lot of sexism, but it wasn’t until my freshman year of college that I was able to revisit a lot of the situations I had encountered and label them easily as sexist. Now, I am a senior majoring in Psychology and Women’s Studies, a certified advocate for the Anew Center in Jamestown, passionately involved in the Women’s Studies program, Vice President of WSU, and have completed an internship with the CEASE program on-campus. Being a woman and considering the experiences--though often negative--I have faced, they helped me pursue certain goals and harnessed that part of my identity, in order to further grow and establish multiple identities.

Sexism plays a large role in the American identity.  Sexism in the United States certainly helps form our model for what the ideal American should be: Male. White. “American.” America was discovered and built by our “founding fathers,” and it wasn’t until the Nineteenth Amendment that women were even given the opportunity to vote, to be a part of the political realm.

Today, women continue to fight to gain equality, such as striving to diminish the wage gap that exists, gaining equal pay for equal work. Women on welfare may face prejudiced attitudes and behaviors for many reasons, but particularly because prejudiced attitudes and behaviors are justified through the legitimizing of myths about women on welfare. One myth which often keeps stereotypical thoughts surrounding women on welfare established is the bootstrap myth. The bootstrap myth, which states that the best way for a person or group of people to come up in the world is to create their own opportunities and lift themselves up by their bootstraps, is often illustrated and romanticized by classic American “rags to riches” stories. This myth may explain why many people attribute poverty to individualistic characteristics; they were able to get where they are by themselves.

One structural attribution which may contribute to poverty includes low wages. The wage gap continues to exist despite The Equal Pay Act of 1963. As of 2006, women earn just 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. Minority women fare the worst. African-American women earn just 64 cents to every dollar earned by White men, and for Hispanic women, that figure drops to merely 52 cents per dollar. The feminization of poverty may also contribute to prejudiced attitudes towards women. Feminization of poverty describes an overrepresentation of females among the poor. In 2007, 13.8% of the population was classified as poor women, whereas 11% were poor males. From this statistic, it is clear that women are overrepresented among the poor. This is a double-edged sword, as it may lead to additional prejudiced attitudes to be focused on women.

Exploring Social Injustice as an Identity

I think I first became aware of race and ethnicity-related issues (at least at some primitive level) as a toddler. At an early age I was exposed to different media, already creating schemas to help me organize and perceive the world around me. However, influencing my views greatly were my parents, who taught me to always be socially conscious and to treat everyone with respect. I was taught at a young age that everyone is created equally and should be treated as such, and to “do onto others as you would want them to do unto you," and that it's never polite to point.

At an early age, my parents always focused on equality and educating my siblings and I about the world and oppression through historical events and personal experiences. Another important lesson which my parents taught was to "never judge a book by its cover," to never allow for someone's physical appearances define who they are. Now I know that many parents may follow similar golden rules, but I believe what made my parents’ advice so effective was their ability to practice and not just preach.

However, within my high school system, we rarely discussed racial and ethnic issues, unless we were talking about the civil rights movement or we were just finishing up reading Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin (which I discovered is no longer in the curriculum). Although this is definitely more than what some educational systems may provide, sadly, it wasn't until my freshman year in college that I began to have a sort of social awakening.

I have experienced and seen far too many instances of racism (one is too many). One experience that sadly isn’t an isolated one is when my Korean-American boyfriend and I would visit a restaurant; the hostess would often assume we weren't together, offering me a table for one. Another instance that I can recall is when someone harassed T. with racist comments and threats, using his race as a target of violence and hatred. Also, during a lecture, I watched as a professor was getting familiarized with students’ names, asking them to say their names before they shared an answer. But when the professor arrived to an Asian-looking male student, she didn't ask for his name, perhaps assuming that she wouldn’t be able to pronounce that student’s name correctly anyway. The student then shared the answer, speaking perfect English with no detectable accent. I feel that through my personal experiences of race and ethnicity, I have gained a better understanding of how crucial being white is to the American Identity. With being white comes privilege, a sense of security. Rather than worrying about whether someone is going to make a racist comment or the assumption that you can’t speak English based on physical features, being a white American allows one to rest assured that your children’s history books will include ancestral history that will not be restricted to a special month out of the year. Furthermore, through instances I have witnessed, to be able to speak English is an important part of the American identity. To be an American is to speak English. We see this expressed in adages such as, “Welcome to America, we speak English.”

Another personal experience that I have had which has helped me gain a better understanding of the American identity is an experience of sexism. During high school, I sadly experienced quite a few occasions of sexual harassment. One incident involved a boy who decided to grope my chest. In defense, I bit him right above his nipple, on his chest. Now, I hadn’t been aiming for this particular area, nor did I really know why I reacted with biting, but I did, and I left a bruise of teeth marks and I got written up. Conversely, the boy got away free. Later, I challenged my write-up explaining what happened to a guidance counselor with the boy sitting right beside me. The boy still got away with nothing.

Despite the fact that I didn’t have to serve detention after the meeting, I still felt grossly dissatisfied with its outcome.  I felt as though the school’s administration truly didn’t understand that what had happened to me was part of a bigger underlying problem in American identities. The administration failed to recognize that he had performed an act of sexual harassment and despite the apparent physical harm I had inflicted on him they ignored what psychological effects the incident may have had on me. This incident helped me realize that women do have to overcome obstacles which men may have to ever encounter.  It helped to solidify the American identity to me because it demonstrated the value of a man and woman within our society.

Many people may never experience a social awakening, for they may never be given the opportunity to consciously explore themselves and the culture which they live in.  Others will choose to deny their social awakening, for the path which they have been following has been a comfortable path, a path within a society which has been good to them. Those people might say, “Why challenge that path?” I have been allowed the opportunity, and continue to experience a number of opportunities, to continue to learn and explore my own biases and culture which has helped to instill and support them.

Adopting a Conscious Identity

On some levels, it is important for one to be proud of his or her home country, as a society which is completely apathetic toward the place it resides will fail to contribute to its betterment. However, blind pride is just as dangerous as apathy, and it is important to examine the assumptions we do make about the United States. For example, the phrase, “love it or leave it--it’s the best country in the world,” excuses the faults of our culture and policies, and places criticism on anyone willing to pass judgment on the negative aspects of the U.S. It diminishes the likelihood of positive change. It is important to recognize that the American identity as it stands now is an unrealistic one, built upon stereotypes. The American identity needs to be more realistic and encompassing of America’s general population. It should be constantly shifting and changing, as does the make-up of the general public. In truth, some of the adages have become so ingrained into our attitudes of the United States that they often blind us to the truth and the existence of crippling propaganda.

The American identity should be one of complexities and multiplicities, and one which embodies everyone. I do not subscribe to the concept of a colorblind society as a means to alleviate our problems. As I have stated, one’s race/ethnicity and gender are important parts of one’s identity and should be recognized, rather than ignored.  Furthermore, as the population make-up of America grows increasingly more diverse it is important to recognize so in the American identity. We can recognize each other’s differences while still remaining conscious of the challenges that different demographics face. Additionally, we must reexamine (and eliminate) the assumptions that we make about each group. Otherwise, people will severely suffer in attempting to aspire for an American identity which is realistically unattainable, especially if you’re homosexual, black or female.

Walt Disney World and the American Dream

This semester I'm going to be posting student work from last semester's American Identities course, specifically the identification projects of those students who wanted me to share their work with a wider audience. Here's the first of many, from leemattar.

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Walt Disney World and the American Dream

My story starts out a long ways from here, yet at the very center of what is "American." Walt Disney used stories and his created wonderland in order to emulate the "Perfect All-American Dream." Many people feel that Disney is fake, but what is the original American Dream? Especially now, when the American Dream is becoming less and less attainable, the original ideals of the American Dream are fading. The ability to fulfill your dreams and goals through hard work is not possible for the average American. As children, we have huge dreams for ourselves, but as we grow up we are forced to give up those dreams for reality. Disney World is a place where people can re-submerge themselves into their childhood imaginings. The family can come together and, for a time at least, feel comfortable and separated from their problems. Their movies transport us into the fantasy of our choosing for a few hours. Disney may be a fabricated place, but it's the lack of reality that draws people to it. It's the emulation of the American Dream and the desire to attain it that keeps us going back.

In the spring of 2007 I was able to do an internship for Walt Disney World. I experienced the Disney Difference first hand. The Disney Difference means going above and beyond expectations. We treat our visitors as though they are guests in our home. Our home is clean, friendly, and inviting. As a cast member, my co-workers were like my second family and my work location became my second home. We would fight and make up, we would share our lunches and swap jokes. I was completely caught up in my own personal Disney world. I had all of Orlando to play in and few responsibilities outside of work. Having to enter the real world again, when my internship was over, was a bit of a struggle. I had to remind myself that I was no longer in a fantasy world where everyone was smiling. Here, I had responsibilities, meetings, and the constant flow of work to deal with. The memories I have from those seven months away have carried me through ruff moments. I can think back to the fireworks, to the laughter with friends, and the magic carpet rides. Those memories help me to smile and to keep going.

Today, people are struggling to keep their heads above water; they are dealing with angry bosses and demanding families. Walt Disney found ways to help people escape from their own lives and into his creations. When people enter the Magic Kingdom they have to take a boat or a monorail; driving in off the street is not an option. They are crossing the boundary between reality and fantasy. Once they pass the friendly ticket collectors they are greeted by the sight of a grand castle and are able to get their pictures taken by a smiling Cast Member. From there, the guest can choose what land he/she wants to visit first. They can visit the Land of Tomorrow where one can become a part of innovations and creations of new technologies. They can choose to visit Liberty Square and listen to the past presidents speak once again. In Frontierland, guests can go on adventures such as chasing run-away trains. Fantasyland has always been a favorite, with classics such at the Spinning Teacups and It's a Small World. Guests can choose to fly like Peter Pan or take part in Snow Whites Adventure. Disney offers those who visit many opportunities to escape reality.

Walt Disney wanted those who visited his park to be completely submerged into his created reality. In his world, everything is clean, everyone is happy, and family is highly valued. This is the kind of world we all strive for. The American Dream has typically been to be able to own a clean house with a trimmed yard, a white fence, and a supportive family. In reality, most people never achieve this version of the American Dream. They struggle to keep their heads above water and fewer of us have yards we can trim. Disney represents the America we wish we had. Every little boy is a pirate and every little girl is a princess. There are surprises and adventures to be found around every corner. Every movie has a happy ending. In actuality, our lives are monotonous, and children have been known to lie on the floor screaming. Happy endings are few and far between, life is more difficult, and animals are not as willing to help us when we are running from wicked stepmothers. We know all these things, but we continue to show our children the movies and go to the theme parks. Feeling like we are a part of an achieved American Dream is important to us and that’s why we continue.

Walt Disney was a man who successfully created his own American Dream. He had to work his way up and overcome many obstacles. He had a family to support and he wanted his children to be able to play in a clean and friendly environment. He also wanted it to be affordable and family oriented. Disneyland and Disney World have raised their prices quite a bit since their opening of Disneyland in 1955, and the following opening of Disney World in 1971. Yet they continue to find ways to entice millions of people to visit every year. The public dedications to all the Disney theme parks have started with: "To all who come to this happy place--welcome" (Disneyland Park (Anaheim)). At the Magic Kingdom in Disneyland, Walt continues, "Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America…" (Disneyland Park (Anaheim)). This quote is crucial to understanding how America and Disney Resorts are related. Everyone is welcome, whites, blacks, Americans and Non-Americans. Disney’s Magic Kingdom takes us back to the days for our grandfathers, or what we consider "the good-old-days." Disney hands over his creation to those who will enjoy it. When immigration first started into the United States, it was seen as the land for everyone. Our Statue of Liberty says, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free…" (Lazarus). These statements both represent the idea of people coming to a place to get away and to be free. At Disney, one becomes a part of the happy atmosphere there and is free of their normal routines, for a time at least. Many who came to America through Ellis Island often came to escape an old life and to take advantage of new opportunities. The problems with this is that one cannot stay at Disney World forever, and in America, many immigrants had to face discrimination and poverty. But people continue to come to the United Stated for the opportunities it promises to offer, just as people will continue to go to Disney World to have experiences they cannot get anywhere else.

Disney World invited people of all backgrounds to come and enjoy its resorts. This includes the Cast Members as well as the guests. In the United States we value diversity and Disney is sure to have one of the most diverse work environments. Animal Kingdom and the World Showcase in Epcot try to imitate the places they are representing. They did this by bringing people from the represented countries to work in the simulated countries. Many of the international students I worked with were from Indonesia because I was stationed in "Asia." When I asked them about why they were doing the internship and the overwhelming answer was that this was one of the only ways for them to easily get into the United States and to have American work experience on their resumes. One of the girls I knew decided to get married to an American friend so that she could stay in the United States after her internship was over. I was surprised that she was willing to leave her home and marry a man she had only known for a few months in order stay. I know that people have done much more extreme things in order to live in the United States, but I had never experienced it firsthand. Here, she saw a place for endless opportunity and financial success that she probably would not have back in Indonesia. Disney offers its employees many opportunities to move up in the company, as long as you show devotion and a good work ethic. The United States is seen as a place where people can work hard and give up a few things, and in turn, gain a slice of the American Dream. That dream drives people and it's a part of what makes Americans unified.

Often, we think people who live outside the United States to be more interesting and exotic. I think we forget that there are many different cultures right here in our own back yard. Besides working with people from around the world, I met and lived with people from all over the United States. One might say that people who live in our own country couldn’t possibly be that interesting, but I learned so much from those friends. I found out about lifestyles, values, and practices that are completely different from my own. One such friend was from Arkansas. His family lived in a double trailer, his family worked on a carnival over the summers and preparing food at a racetrack over the winters. His stories would amaze me. I couldn’t imagine living how he and his family did. I live in the suburbs of Buffalo, in a two-story house, with a say at home mother, and a business-owning father. I spend my summers visiting family and working summer jobs. Our lives were so different, but we are both Americans. Jan Radway argues that "American national identity is…constructed in and through the relations of difference" (Gruesz, 21). America--in this case we are talking about the United States--was created out of people who were different. Some wanted religious freedoms, some wanted adventure some were looking for economic relief, and others were forced out of their homelands. Today, our nation prides its self on being a melting pot. It's our differences that help us to be a strong nation. It's our common goals that hold us together; those goals being life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Not everyone can attain those goals but it's our desire for them the keeps us unified. We are connected to and learn from the people around us. At Disney World, our goal is to create a cheerful environment that encourages guests to live out their dreams. We are able to do this through our differences. Every cast member has something to bring to the table. Some can speak multiple languages and can communicate easily with guests that do not speak English. Some are great with people and know how to explain situations to the guests. They give just the right amount of information while using the correct voice tones and inflections. Some are creative and are always coming up with new ways that we can be more efficient. We all have different personalities and ways of thinking about things that may clash once in a while, but we all want the same thing; to make a guest smile and to give their children memories that will last them the rest of their lives.

Disney wants their guests to be able to bring stories back that are filled with excitement and adventure. Stories are devices that have been used for centuries in order to pass down information and values from one generation to another. Oral stories were used to explain and teach, or often for entertainment at important events: "narrators told tales to bring members of a group of tribe closer together and to provide them with a sense of mission" (Zipes, 333). It was stories of the "Great West" that sparked young men's interest. It was tales of gold and adventure that drew whole families to California. Stories make us excited, especially stories that are new. Manifest Destiny, our movement to the west coast, was enhanced by the stories told about it. When people from other countries, especially poor ones, think of America, they think of the stories they have heard. Huge homes, lots of money, fun technologies and the freedoms that many of us born American take for granted.

Stories change over time, especially the oral ones. Every time the story is told some small thing gets changed. Life is not static, so it makes sense that our stories will have different variations depending on who is telling it. The American Dream is just like a story. Our idea of it has changed over time, so that we can still believe in it. In a nation wide survey done in 2009 72% of people stated that they believed people could start out poor and work their way up in the United States (Seelye, 1). Americans still believe in an American Dream, but it has changed over the years, morphed into a different dream, but considered no less American. Today, “fewer people are pegging their dream to material success and more are pegging it abstract values” (Seelye, 2). Some of these are being able to live your own life, having a fair chance to succeed, having a healthy family and nice friends, owning a home, and having financial stability (Seelye, 2). None of these mention being rich, but talk about being able to get by and not having too many financial worries. They talk about good friends and a loving family. This is what Americans in the United States want. Disney is able to give people that. Many people believe in the American Dream but, according to polls, only 44% feel that they have reached it (Seelye, 1). For the rest, Disney is a place where one can experience their personal dreams and take the memories back with them. Disney's idea of the American Dream has remained constant over the years, being able to be with your family and surrounded by helpful people who want to be sure your stay is magical.

Walt Disney had been a key player in story telling over the years. He was a creative man with grand ideas that he wanted to share with the world. His innovations led to the first full-length animation films.

Disney was a radical filmmaker who changed our way of viewing fairy tales, and that his revolutionary technical means capitalized on American innocence and utopianism to reinforce the social and political status quo. His radicalism was of the right and the righteous. The great "magic" of the Disney spell is that he animated the fairy tale only to transfix audiences and divert their potential utopian dreams and hopes through the false promises of the images he cast upon the screen; (Zipes, 333)

Americans have always dreamt of a utopian society, where everyone gets their fair opportunity. We like stories where the unfortunate end up on top. This is what Disney provides. We look at moves such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. A young girl escapes death, meets some dwarves who help her out, then she find her true love after being poisoned by her evil stepmother. He uses what Americans know and combines it into what we want in an artistic and creative way. We know that people are labeled and ranked according to the status society gives them. Cinderella, for example, is shown as a young girl who is abused by her stepfamily. She is a poor women, which, at one time would have made her extremely low in the social hierarchy. We like to see the underdog win and those who were the suppressers punished. Cinderella, with the help of her fairy godmother, was able to meet her prince and have her happy ending after much struggling. Her stepfamily is distraught because none of them were able to marry the prince.

Disney Americanized the original tales. Many of the happy endings we find in his versions of the stories don't exist in the originals. Americans don't want the sad endings; they want to feel that anything is possible and that your dreams are always achievable. This is one of the reasons Disney films did and continue to do so well. It's important to remember that every story is the teller's version of it. We often forget because Disney's versions of the stories are on a big screen, they are visual; we can hear them and we are pulled into them. We feel for the characters and we can see the build up of their identities as they change from the beginning till the end. People are more likely to believe something they see on the television or at the moves than something they are told. When the original films were first projected, people in the audience were scared and screamed when they saw trains coming at them. We make movies real and internalize them. The art of story telling is slowly dying. The original stories do not matter anymore because we do not remember them. I wonder if the original idea of the American Dream will matter after a time. As people's circumstances change they are forced to change what they want out of life.

Fairy tales and stories are not just for children. They are for anyone who feels that they need to be connected to something larger than themselves. Alys Eve Weinbaum states that "nations need narratives to exist – that they need to be narrated into being" (Weinbaum, 168). A nation is created by its people and by their commonalities. We learn about other people through stories, and we become connected to people by knowing their stories and passing them on. I think it is important to teach our younger Americans about stories, and to be sure that they recognize that the Disney versions of stories are romanticized versions that reflect what we want America to stand for. Stories are vices that allow us to get our points and feeling across to other people, they do not have to be true to do that. Disney was able to show his ideas of the American Dream through his stories, and had millions of people believing in a happily ever after. There are many who do not ever let that go, and that's one of the reasons, I think, that we are unified as a nation. We have the hope that Disney instilled in us. We want to beat down the suppressers and to finally reach our happy ending. We will continue to try and to move forward. This is what unites us. Our version of the American Dream may have changed but we still have a dream, we still have something to aim for.

It's important to constantly critique society, to re-examine our ideas and to continue to grow in our Identity. While I was working for Disney I had to completely change the way I viewed the world around me and re-think my self-identity as an American. I went to Florida as a naive individual who had few ideas about how the world worked and how our nation was viewed by others. I came home with a completely new attitude. I understood the struggles of the middle class worker, I knew how to talk to people without offending them, but most of all, I learned about how the American Dream has become an illusion. Those who fulfilled their dreams put in a great amount of time and energy in order to do so. It takes commitment and a drive to accomplish the goals that have been set out. Walt had clear goals and a passion for what he was creating. He has shared his hopes and dreams with us in order to help others believe that anything is possible. As Jiminy Cricket says, "If your heart is in your dream,/ No request is too extreme,/ When you wish upon a star,/ As dreamers do…" (Pinocchio). We need to have dreams, they give us something to aim for, something that we will want to continually reach for. Disney has instilled this idea into the hearts and minds of those in the United States and around the world.

Works Cited
"Disneyland Park (Anaheim)." Wikipedia. 8 May 2009. 6 May 2009 .

Gruesz, Kirsten S. "America." Keywords for American Cultural Studies. Eds. Bruce Burgett and Glenn Hendler. New York: NYU P, 2007. 16-22.

Emma Lazarus, "The New Colossus." American Studies @ The University of Virginia. University of Virginia. 07 May 2009 .

Pinocchio. Prod. Walter Disney. Disney Inc., 1940.

Seelye, Katharine Q. "What Happens to the American Dream in a Recession." The New York Times 8 May 2009.

Weinbaum, Alys E. "Nation." Keywords for American Cultural Studies. Eds. Bruce Burgett and Glenn Hendler. New York: NYU P, 2007. 162-70.

Zipes, Jack. "Breaking the Disney Spell." Classic Fairy Tales: Texts, Criticism. Ed. Maria Tatar. New York: Norton, 1999. 332-52.