Character and Characterization Review of Related Theories

14 American Studies: A Conceptual Approach states that inner power characteristics of a person also play important role. The book pints out that American and foreign observers have attempted throughout the history to identify typical American traits: 1 Hard working, materialistic, and practical, 2 Adventuresome and optimistic, 3 Impatient and incline towards violence, 4 Patriotic and nationalistic, 5 Supporters of humanitarian and idealistic goal, 6 Believers in fair play, equality of opportunity, and individual responsibility Gordon, 1983: 385. In some way, the immigrant created the American Dream. It was not a native-born idea. It began in the 19th century as immigrants -- mainly Irish and German -- began coming to the United States and describing their experience as transformative. They were no longer living the lives of their parents and grandparents. They could separate themselves from their past. They created the American Dream Close, 2014. American Dream never finds its exact definition. However, the common goal is usually about economic, social progress, and individual freedom, and later about politics and education. Many says that American Dream is to get opportunity to freely participating in the competition for jobs, wealth, status, and power in society. American Dream can be achieved only through hard work and determination. Every person has different American Dream as every person has different point of view, for example, background, culture, and neighborhood. To Mingo, American Dream is to become an Anglo-American person with similar features. 15

C. Mexican-American in the 1960s

The 1960s was a turbulent decade in American history, fraught with conflicts over issues from Civil Rights to the war in Vietnam. The Mexican American Civil Rights Movement, one of the least studied social movements of the 1960s, encompassed a broad cross section of issues —from restoration of land grants, to farm workers rights, to enhanced education, to voting and political rights Mendoza, 1996. The 1960s was also the most important decade for the Mexican-American. Their population increased consistently specifically for the undocumented ones. The number of commuters, those who cross the border on a daily, weekly, or other regular basis to work in the United States, also rose sharply Meier, 1972: 185. As a result, a lot of communities were formed to protect themselves. For example LULAC League of United Latin American Citizen, CSO Community Service Organization, ANMA Asociación Nacional México-Americana, MAPA Mexican American Political Association, etc. They had their specific goals of their own problems. However, their goals had similarities, which were equality for Mexican American in economic, political, and social aspect Meier, 1972: 198. Following these movements, the communities got well spread and they slowly reached their goals. As they began to settle, the Americans saw them as an internal threat. They were blamed for everything from the high cost of welfare to the fiscal crisis of the social service system. The net effect of this was to bar noncitizen immigrants legal as well as undocumented from receiving means-