What is the cost? Everyone dreams of achieving something in life. Many people strive to be better parents, better athletes, or just better people in general. How do they achieve this? Do they work harder, spend more time together or aspire for more money and nicer things? Some say this could be the American dream, having a good job, a family and money to buy whatever they want, but what is the real cost of the American dream? Most people end up in debt until they die, never being there for those who love them, or working to impress people who don't really matter. Today the American dream is still alive and will exist as long as people dream and strive to achieve their dreams. The American dream is nothing new to the world. In 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote “The Great Gatsby” which was about a man who truly lived the “American Dream”. But everything he did was to achieve wealth. He threw elaborate parties in his fabulous house, bought the best of everything, and did everything he had to do to become the best. He started from nothing and worked his way up by creating a fake life, even the woman he loved most didn't know his past. The woman, Daisy, he loved most was not even in Gatsby's life, but in another man's life. Gatsby worked and strived to get everything he had for a married woman who didn't even love him. Although Gatsby thought he loved Daisy, he only loved the idea of ​​her. Someone he had a wonderful time with, someone he could see his life spent with. But what did he really get out of life? Years wasted impressing someone who never really mattered when he could have spent it with someone who could have loved him for who he truly was. Who was Gatsby, however, no one can put... middle of paper... an entire life for their house, car, clothing and anything else they might want. The real cost is their lives. The real cost is giving up your free time to work on material goods you don't really need. The cost is giving up other dreams they may have because they won't be profitable or won't fit American standards. Parents give up precious time with their children to make sure they are on the best sports team, the best band or choir, the best of whatever they could want for their children. It is not only parents who pay for this, but also children. Children suffer because of their parents' choices. Even if the child doesn't want to be in what the parents might have him in, he still participates. A child's dream is to live up to what their parents want them to do, to be better than what their parents are. Which reboots the idea of ​​the American dream once again.