Danny Gutierrez
Miss Celentani
AVAD
2 February 2012
Interview with Holy Apostles LA/LIT Teacher, Laura Morrow, Age 49
Q: What do you think the American Dream is?
Mrs. Morrow:I think that society thinks the American Dream is to be successful with your career and gain personal materialistic wealth. I personally think the American Dream is to have a family, a free faith, and to receive proper education. It is to be close to your family and have freedom. We feel this freedom when we do service or good deeds for others.
Q: Do you think the American Dream is different from those of different nationalities?
Mrs. Morrow:Yes I do. For example, those in Europe might want to work to live in pleasure. In the US, I feel we live to work, rather than work to live. Our lives are our jobs. In other cultures, pleasure is more important.
Q:How do you think the America Dream has changed over the years?
Mrs. Morrow:I think the family dynamic of America has changed. People want immediate gratification. When they cannot wait for materialistic things involving money, they can hurt their family and tear them apart. Family is more important.
Q:When do you think the American Dream truly started?
Mrs. Morrow:When people began to arrive in America, they had come for many reasons including religious freedom. They wanted to worship freely as they pleased. I believe that from the very beginning, the American Dream was a dream. The Native Americans dreamt to live as one with family and nature. Nature and family aren’t materialistic, unlike what the newcomers were searching for.
Q:Do you think the American Dream holds together all lives in America (does it relate to everyone)?
Mrs. Morrow:No, I think too many people struggle. They are out of jobs. They have illnesses, and some people are too selfish. This breaks up the American Dream. Although our country is patriotic, it seems as though we still don’t do a very good job of taking care of everyone. I do believe every person can be successful if they put their mind to it. That is because we have the freedom to reach our personal dreams if we really want to. In other countries, they do not have these rights. An example is the rights of women in other countries. We are fortunate to have that freedom; we need to be responsible to do what’s right.
Q:What do you think holds back others from accomplishing the American Dream?
Mrs. Morrow:Poverty, broken families, and rigid government systems, as well as a lack of good education stops others from experiencing the American Dream. I think faith and family values impact a person’s true happiness.
Q:What, in your opinion, would make the American Dream more of a promise for everyone?
Mrs. Morrow:I think we need to pay attention to morals and values that are important in society. For our American Dream, we have to look at long cultures that persevered over long periods of time. Those successful systems that provide service to those in need also provide balance.
Q:How has the economy of America changed the American Dream?
Mrs. Morrow:The economy of America has put stress on families involved in money problems. This makes families feel stressed, scared, and they don’t feel as though they can enjoy life. It became more difficult to get a good education or pay bills. However, I also think the economy made people rich.
Q:Do you think the American Dream was more promising earlier or later on in history? Why?
Mrs. Morrow:I think the American Dream was more promising earlier on because things were much simpler. They were simpler times. Although now I think people have access to more quality education. They can also now have better chances at achieving their ultimate dream. This is partially because people have more free time in this global society. The have more time now to enjoy life than they did earlier on.
Q:In your opinion, what has most severely changed the American Dream?
Mrs. Morrow:Materialism most severely changed the American Dream. I think people got caught up in wanting more money and not being satisfied with what is truly meaningful… faith, family, education, and happiness.
Q:In your opinion, what stage of America was the best American Dream?
Mrs. Morrow:I’ve always been fascinated with the 50’s and 60’s because of the rebuilding of the WWII damage. However, there were some problems in the 60’s which did not show the purpose of the American Dream. These times were simpler, and people didn’t worry so much about materialistic wealth. In this period, people could really achieve something. They could have a good education, and the family was more intact.
Q:What do you want your kids to achieve within the American Dream?
Mrs. Morrow:I want my kids to be faithful, committed, and serving people. I want them to have a good education, using their intelligence in good ways. I want to have a loving family support them as well. I want them to have a strong family life, be secure and not worry about money but enjoy all the wonderful things about life. I want them to appreciate their good health.
Q:What difficulties, such as war or disease, would have changed the American Dream most for you?
Mrs. Morrow:I think for society in general the economic breakdown and breakdown of a family unit really changed the American Dream. I personally come from a family that experienced little war, and so my mom and dad didn’t talk about these sorts of things. I was young during the Vietnam War, and Vietnam’s impact was nothing like WWII. There were minor diseases going around when I was a kid, so I didn’t have to worry about that either. Modern day, I think scientists should work toward finding cures to diseases like cancer so people could live longer and healthier.
Q:What do you think is the most promising quality of America?
Mrs. Morrow:It’s our freedom, we have the freedom to accomplish goals more than other countries that lack the freedom oropportunities the US has. I feel as a woman in the US I have always had opportunities like everyone else. Being a girl, nothing stoppedme, unlike the laws and roles women might have in other countries.