Finding the American Dream: How Compromise Can Mean Success in 'Behold the Dreamers' and '99 Homes' Anonymous 12th Grade

To compromise on a goal is one thing, but to do so on an ambition as monumental as the American dream—that is something many cannot imagine. Ingrained in international culture, the American dream constitutes a set of impossibly perfect ideals that could be garnered for anyone’s family in America, simply through hard work. With opportunity and prosperity on the line, it can be nearly impossible to accept an alternative. Yet, this is what both Imbolo Mbue’s Jende Jonga of Behold the Dreamers, and Ramin Bahrani’s Dennis Nash of 99 Homes did, and they were better off for it. Despite being from different circumstances, both Jende and Dennis were only able to attain personal satisfaction by overcoming their initially stubborn beliefs, and choosing to redefine their perspectives of success under the “American dream”. Though separated by individual conflicts, the characters share similar points in their developments that reveal how, for them, giving up finally meant happiness. By first examining how they each met failure, the undeniable need for a change in perspective was revealed through their consequential turning points of reflection, and how they accepted the results of their decisions.

The motivations of Jende Jonga are perfectly...