Sometimes many similarities can be found between two completely different works of literature. The poem “I am Joaquin” and the short story “The First Seven Years” at the same time exhibit both contrasting positions and similar ideals. Even though “I am Joaquin” is told from Mexican-American perspective while “The First Seven Years” is told from Jewish-American perspective, similarities are found in both. They tell of the American Dream and of the two mentioned families’ roles and influences as a means of attaining that dream. The roles of the families in these works and each version of the American Dream ar