The California Dream, aside from the aspirations of fame and fortune, is a search for adventure and excitement. People don't simply want to go to California to get rich. Although wealth was the primary reason people first began migrating to California, it later did not become as important as it was. As cited in our readings, many people who moved to California were not particularly poor. What did attract them to California was the warm weather, the pretty lights, and basically the escape from the monotony of their homes in the Midwest. Winters in the Midwest are hard and dull. Making snow men and snow angels is fun but only for so long. It would be much more fun to be at the beach in the middle of January instead of wearing 5 layers and sitting by the fire. This year-round excitement is what many people wanted.
That is only one aspect to the California Dream however. The more well known "California Dream" is the hope of fame and fortune. Whether this is the "dream" that attracted the majority of people to California is debatable but it is certainly the better documented one. It is more interesting and exciting to read about rags to riches stories or horror stories of failure and depression. Nearly no one would want to read a story about meager living...
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