The American Dream

So what is the American dream?
As you well know, we as a class early this term studied that exact subject. We defined it into words such as POWER, FREEDOM, LIBERTY, SUCCESS, WEALTH and to be NUMBER ONE.
The denotative meaning of the American dream is given in the Random House Dictionary: 1. The ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American. 2. A life of personal happiness and material comfort as traditionally sought by individuals in the U.S.
The term was first used by James Adams in his book the Epic of America that was written in 1931. He states:
"The American Dream is "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. …