When asking someone what they believe the American Spirit is, varying responses may be present. Everyone has their own opinion on what it means to be an American. Some may see it as being a free individual who is willing and able to do whatever and be whomever they choose. Others may see it as someone who is very hypocritical or lackadaisical. In Richard Blanco’s inaugural poem titled “One Today”, the American Spirit is shown as being diverse, united, and a home to many hardworking men and women. Diversity is everywhere in America. You see it in neighborhoods, schools, work, and almost everywhere else in between. In the poem “One Today” diversity is shown in the lines “for each other all day, saying: hello, shalom,/buon giorno, howdy, namaste, or buenos días/in the language my mother taught me—in every language” (42-44). Because Blanco displays numerous ways to say hello, the idea that we can greet each other endlessly is shown. We as a country are so diverse that no matter how you say it, we will understand what the other is saying. Also, by using restatement, it allows the reader to more fully understand the concept of …show more content…
diversity, and magnify its importance in America. The Unites States of America is very well known for the sense of unity its citizens present.
Blanco does a very good job of illustrating this unity throughout the poem. It is especially present in the first few lines in which he states “One sun rose on us today, kindled over our shores,/peeking over the Smokies, greeting the faces/of the Great Lakes, spreading a simple truth/across the Great Plains, then charging across the Rockies.” (1-5). By listing areas across America, Blanco creates the idea that although people are spread out across the country we are still united under one sun. He continues the idea of togetherness by repeating the lines one sun, one wind, one moon, ect. for the duration of the poem. This use of repetition reiterates the importance of unity in America and that without it, this country would not be as strong as it is
today. America is home to some of the hardest working men and women in the world. These people are usually the ones with the hardest jobs. The lines “Thank the work of our hands:/weaving steel into bridges, finishing one more report/for the boss on time, stitching another wound/or uniform, the first brush stroke on a portrait,/or the last floor on the Freedom Tower/jutting into a sky that yields to our resilience.” show the litany of jobs the men and women of America do everyday just to make sure this great country continues to run smoothly. The allusion to the 9/11 attack specifically indicates how even when things aren't going so great, these people continue to do what needs to be done in order to keep the balance the country needs. Without the tireless efforts of the nation, America would not be viewed the same way it is today. Richard Blanco’s poem “One Today” does an exceptional job of embodying the American Spirit into a work of literature. He creates a vivid picture displaying the many features that make America as wonderful as it is. Presenting diversity, unity, and diligence, and having the ability to describe the American Spirit the way he does creates a sense of empowerment to many American readers. He creates a sense of pride and showcases just how extraordinary The United States of America truly is.
The imagery in Richard Blanco’s poem “One Today” reveals the unity in diversity that individuals in the United States share. Inaugural poet Richard Blanco read his poem at the swearing-in ceremony for President Obama’s second inauguration. He consistently wrote that we are individuals that share the same sun, wind, and land. I believe this poem follows the footsteps of America from sunrise to sunset and emphasizes that even though we are individuals, we are one.
The poem “On The Pulse of Morning” written by Maya Angelou, this poem explains the effects of cultural diversity among the American people during the late 20th century. Maya states in the sixth stanza of her poem; “Each of you, a bordered country, Delicate and strangely made proud, Yet thrusting perpetually under siege. Your armed struggles for profit Have left collars of waste upon My shore, currents of debris upon my breast. Yet today I call you to my riverside, If you will study war no more.” (Angelou, 6)
America the great, land of freedom, home of the brave--each of these phrases has been used to describe the United States of America. Walt Whitman was a man who lived through many tough times in this country, but who would prosper as a poet. He was personally affected by all of the death and destruction that he witnessed during the Civil War. "A Sight in Camp in the Daybreak Gray and Dim" and "I Hear America Singing" have some fascinating similarities but include many differences. Although both poems were written by the same man, he seemed to see America in a different light when writing each poem. Each piece uses different tones and images, but they are tied together by the style of writing and use of America as a main subject. In "I Hear America Singing" and "A Sight in Camp in the Daybreak Gray and Dim," Whitman uses differing tones, images, styles of writing, and even different themes to show the splendors and downfalls that America can bring.
Poems are forms of communication that give an applicable view of the past, present and future events. Reading the poem titled “America”, written by Richard Blanco brought me memories from my childhood in my parent’s house and also what is happening now in my house as a parent. The poem explains how one person doesn’t have all the knowledge about something. It also, describes the daily life struggles I experienced during my childhood, when my parent 's and I moved from our hometown to live in another town becuase of their work and it brings to light the conflict of cultures I and my children are going through since we moved to United State of America .
Overall, to be an American is to be united. We all work hard to ensure our future and support each other so we can be stronger. The founding fathers created this indestructible and predominate nation so that we all may be free, live jubilantly, and last but not least, stick together and we can all be joint under the classic red, white, and blue flag. After all, The United States of America was named that for a
In, “ I Hear America Singing”, Walt Whitman uses alliteration, literal imagery, and tone to express the idea that there are many individual, hardworking workers in this country, but as a whole these people carry out the American pride. America does not only consist of one person, but it is the whole population that makes what America is today. This country is filled with fun and laughter for everyone to enjoy!
In his essay, “John Fante’s America,” David Fine argues, “John Fante’s novel, Ask the Dust, offers a number of clear examples of the conflicts and contradictions of American Identity.” Many come to America to live the identity of an American and live the American Dream. To identify as an American, falls within the second paragraph of the U.S. Declaration of Independence; “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” I feel that the founding fathers of America created this, for whoever wished to be a part of the Identification as an American. Regardless of a person’s race, class and or gender, all men would be created equally. In John Fante’s novel, “Ask the Dust, “ the image of American Identity contradicts the true values of what being American is
The meaning of being American is the ability to do and feel what u want to do and be able to do it freely. Is the quote, "here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labors and prosperity will one day cause great change in the world"(What is an American paragraph 3), there is an example of freedom in Americans. The freedom that he has the ability and freedoms to be able to cause change and have a voice in how the way things are done.
“America the melting pot.” An expression used by many and often said in a prideful manner. We Americans like to think of ourselves as all accepting and welcoming to everyone, and while that may be true in general, discrimination still exist throughout the country. Fortunately, racism has significantly lowered thanks to the Civil rights movement. Each American can now express who they are without a major fear of contempt or prejudice. Prior to the Civil rights movement, racism ran rampant, particularly in the south. The Harlem renaissance, which took place throughout the 1920’s, helped spur the Civil Rights movement. It was around this time African Americans really started to push themselves forward in society. One successful poet of that time is Langston Hughes. Two of his well-known poems, “Theme for English B”, and “I, too America,” should be recognized for expression of the common thoughts and ideals of African Americans of the time who faced racial segregation. In “Theme for English B”, Hughes shows the reader that despite the lines drawn by society, he is an American and a part of his fellow man although there may be physical differences. “Yet a part of me, as I am a part of you. That’s American.” Hughes does a wonderful job in both his pieces depicting the racism of the time. He shows that no matter your background you are equal to those around you.
He brings to mind all those who suffered and fought for the freedom known as the American Dream. He prompts an emotional response from the reader to show how those early settlers, the slaves, the farmers, the factory workers, the common laborer, all those who gave a part of themselves for this land felt as they fought for the “mighty dream” (???) of America. Even though there is still the hope of that dream, it is unobtainable for many. No matter how hard they work, no matter how determined they are, they will never be more than what they are as long as there are those in power who constantly step on and dominate in order to obtain and keep the power they desperately desire. But the heart of America is strong and must fight to keep the dream alive because without hope, the American people have nothing to live for. It does not matter where one comes from or what one does. The American Dream is for everyone, is what keeps America alive, and is in the heartbeat of every American citizen. “We, the people, must redeem” or land “and make America again”
The United States as a country has always been an entity unique amongst the world’s myriad of nations: a conglomeration of cultures, ethnic groups and religious backgrounds from around the planet, all fused together to yield something entirely new. Since its very inception, those who dwell within its borders have attempted to ascertain the makeup of the American identity, in order to pin down how exactly one can come to be considered as an American themselves. This is inherently quite a subjective issue, but the conversation primarily boils down to three core factors that make the American people who they are: a dedication to preserving the natural rights of every human being, a belief in the importance of the individual in deciding their own
What does it mean to be American? and how can someone become an American? First of all, being an American means to have education, good financial status, being secure and be free but also to love the country and all it gives you. To become an American, you will need to have a dream or a goal, these goals can be, having or giving a good education to your children, being able to get a good job, have a quiet life without economic problems nor any other kind of problems, and most importantly be a free person; once you are done with those goals you would become an American and love the country. In the novel "The Book of Unknown Americas" written by Cristina Hernandez, tells the story of a Mexican family who travels to the United States to solve a problem of his daughter who suffers from a brain problem. This family left all their past so that her daughter, Maribel, had the opportunity to improve herself and return to normal as she had been years before. The Rivera family came to an apartment building, where they met a great variety of people who shared the same or similar objective in their lives, these objectives could be from having a better economy, better health or safety or simply
In conclusion, Espada wrote this poem to show culture criticism against America, by forcing readers to see that America is becoming a more diverse country and every human being has the right to be
Malcom Cowley, an American literary critic, once said that, “Before Walt Whitman, America hardly existed”. Walt Whitman was an American poet born in 1819 in New York, living during the time period of slavery, The Civil War, and the death of Abraham Lincoln. Often nicknamed ‘The Bard of Democracy’, Whitman was most remembered for celebrating the freedom Americans had found through their new political system of democracy. Democracy is a form of government in which citizens have the power to elect leaders who represent their beliefs. Through democracy, people are treated equally and have equal rights. Whitman believed that the American form of democracy for government gave American citizens freedoms that they were unable to experience before this type of government was put in place. Throughout many of his poems, Whitman repeats this deep love of American freedom which he expresses through his creative writing. He writes about several categories of freedom, including the freedom to pursue what one desires, the freedom to be an individual, and the freedom of equality. The poems “I Hear America Singing”, “One’s- Self I Sing”, and “America” reveal Whitman’s love of freedom through democracy as his source of inspiration which he conveys as good news for Americans to hear.
Resolved to join the American way of life a large number of outsiders have ventured to this extraordinary land to have an existence based upon “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”