Claudia Arevalo-Lowe Jan. 31, 1998

RAWLS’ "CALIFORNIA: A PLACE, A PEOPLE, A DREAM"

California: A Place, A People, A Dream by James J. Rawls, is not going to be easy for me to work with and write about as I have 2 copies of the same page and 1 page of his work missing. However, working with what I have at hand, he presents California’s Dream as all of those wonderful things anybody wants to accomplish. He gives us a California where everybody will flourish and prosper; that very special place where making money is as easy as pie and where love and romance lurks at every corner. Furthermore, the weather is presented not only as beautiful but with curative qualities as well. Another thing that makes California so attractive, under his perspective, is Hollywood in its glory and abundance. As time passed by, California was also considered by others as the place where a new super race of men were developing.

During this period, a lot of people moved to California in order to accomplish all of the above, and even more; creating an explosion in population which, somehow, had to be controlled years later when it surpassed that of New York. Thereby, ordinances were passed in different areas. Adding to the paradox, is the disagreement between environmentalists and economic growth which are at odds as Californians are very passionate about their environment and will defend it against anything that possess a threat to it. Alternative sources of power had to be created not only to defend the environment but to maintain and further economic growth. He also makes it very clear that "balance, control, restraint, and willingness to experiment and seek innovation" are the virtues which will ensure the survival of California.

The California Dream has not died; actually, is doing very well as proven by how many newcomers there are every year. Even though some of the "California Dreams" are not what they are rumored to be, California still is a wonderful place where to live as it gives us all the beauty nature can offer, diversity, and a better sense of accomplishment as the odds to be beaten are even greater than in most places, as far as I know, there are a lot of great accomplishers who live in sunny California..