Of all the aspirations which make up the American Dream perhaps the most prominent is owning one's own home. Americans are very proud of their homes
and spend a great deal of time maintaining their houses and keeping the property in good condition. A man's home is often called his castle, and the hours spent keeping his fortress safe and secure become one of his greatest pleasures.
If a home is in an especially fashionable neighborhood, the owners may consult an interior director to give the home a certain coordinated appearance. If there is a large back yard, great care may be spent in having it properly landscaped with exotic trees, shrubs and plants.

It is almost a certainty that should you be a first visitor to an American home, you will be taken on a grand tour of the premises. The owner will take great pride in showing to you the place he calls home. Every closet, every cabinet and closed door will be opened so that you can actually see the extent and value of his home.
You will even be taken into the father's den and the mother's sewing room. These are special rooms for the respective man and woman of the house to insure their privacy. They may be off-limits to the rest of the family but, for the visitor they are open to scrutiny and inspection.

Yes! You'll get the chance to browse through the books on the library shelves and inspect their collection of videos and CDs. The master bedroom, that room of marital privacy, with walk-in closets and wall to wall carpeting will also be yours to see. Even the children's playroom with its inventory of video games and mechanical high-tech toys will be open to public viewing.
It is, of course, considered polite on the tour to comment favorably on each room picking out its most salient, important feature, such as the special view from the window, the vaulted ceiling in the foyer or the exotic choice of wallpaper in the bathroom.
The finished basement is a special cause for pride for the family with its exercise room, video games, carpenter shop and laundrette. In most homes it is here that the family entertains itself in the evening while the rest of the house becomes more of a showcase. On your tour you may be reminded of the hours the owners had spent "fixing up the house" so it would be "nice for the kids to bring over their friends." You may even sense a feeling of competition in knowing that they have not only "kept up with the Jones" but have far surpassed them.

The tour will terminate after an hour or so somewhere on the back lawn next to the two-car air-conditioned garage where you may be treated to a snack and light refreshment.

Showing off one's home is more than an exercise in vanity. It is a tribute to one's accomplishments. It is a way of saying that a man has been a good provider for his family and that he has realized one of his dreams.