The 21st Century American The traits of the typical American have changed drastically throughout the years. Americans have become different in many ways from when they officially became independent in 1776 to the present time in 2001. America is strong, powerful, and influential. Americans exemplify positive values, selflessness, hospitality, and the American way of life. Our values often differ from values of other countries due to cultural contrasts such as with religious, racial, and education
The Malignant American in Surfacing Before traveling through Europe last summer, friends advised me to avoid being identified as an American. Throughout Europe, the term American connotes arrogance and insensitivity to local culture. In line with the foregoing stereotype, the unnamed narrator's use of the term American in Margaret Atwood's Surfacing is used to describe individuals of any nationality who are unempathetic and thus destructive. The narrator, however, uses the word in the context
In spring of ’09, I won Liberty High School’s most likely to become the next American Idol. Receiving the award-winning T-Shirt in front of the whole graduating class was a great honor. However, I never envisioned reality television in my future; especially not a show with Judge Simon Cowel’s vain insults. Fox’s American Idol phenomenon still soars high a decade after its initial premiere in 2002. The remains popular even with Cowel retired. 29.3 million viewers, 21% more than the previous season
eighteen inch chrome rims. That is the twenty-first century American Dream. It is also as James Truslow Adams, a famous historian, believes, “a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity… regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position” (374). Adams has the notion that each American is obliged to have a stress-free and an equal opportunistic lifestyle. However, the American Dream is a delusion. The world perceives that foreigners seek
population of the United Sates of America is about 310 million people and Asian Americans make up about 14 million people, or 4.8% of the total population. Like any group of immigrants or minorities they have felt the effects of prejudice and discrimination. Over the years several groups have developed to try and stop the prejudice and injustice displayed towards Asian Americans. Two groups that will be looked at are the Asian American Justice Center (AAJC) and the Committee of 100, from the early 1990’s to
Asian Americans have been more active and involved in politics over the past decade. Furthermore, Asian Americans increasingly became more visible in politics extending beyond the city limits. While in many major cities such as Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City remain packed and serve as a gateway for Asian Americans immigrants. A majority of the United States Asian American population has now moved into the Suburbs. This serves as a part of reaching the American “Dream”. The
The American Dream is being able to live freely from discrimination, for your voice to be heard, and having equal opportunities in life. As kids we are taught that there is a certain way to live in order to be happy, in order to be successful financially; but as you get older you understand the barriers that stop you from achieving this dream. The American Dream is not attainable, because the chance at an American lifestyle is not always given equally to everyone due to race, gender, and social
The term ‘revolutionary’ has been defined as something ‘involving or causing a complete or dramatic change’. The American Revolution did just that, with the colonises demanding economic, social and political change. Never before had all the colonies risen up against the British colonial rule, demanding change. The Revolution was primarily based on economic terms; between 1763 and 1775 the colonies were no longer proud to be under British rule. Instead, the colonies had seen the British Empire as
What is the American Dream? As James Truslow coined in 1931 " A dream of land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper class to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the
Americans are Immigrants! “Everywhere immigrants have enriched and strengthened the fabric of American life,” was the words of former American president, John F. Kennedy (American Immigration: Quotes about Immigration). Immigrants have been in America for many years now. Today many people have different opinions about whether immigrants should be allowed into America freely, or if there should be more harsh regulations to those coming into the country. After September 11, people have been afraid
American Studies American Studies can be a variety of different meanings to a lot of different authors. They are all pretty much on the same note, but with different alterations. For me, I believe that it is to make connections between the past and how it will impact the future. American Studies has transformed overtime. Each individual has their own beliefs and feelings of what it really means. In Gene Wise’s article he states how he is interested in how the field of American Studies has
Reflections in a Foreign Mirror After reading the novels assigned in this Asian American class, it seems that many Asian American experiences are similar. One similarity that is outstandingly prominent is how an outside culture impacts either directly or indirectly a foreign society. Often, the influences of the powerful yet glamorous American lifestyle lead to self-hatred of one's own society and culture. We see this in "Obasan," by Joy Kogawa, and in "Dogeaters," by Jessica Hagedorn, where many
The American Economy The American economy is a vibrant, free-market system that is constantly developing out of the choices and decisions made by millions of citizens who play multiple, often overlapping roles as consumers, producers, investors and voters. The changes in the organization and performances of the manufacturing industry over the last century have helped shape the American economy. The Automotive industry perhaps made the biggest changes to their manufacturing processes. I will be
Who were the rst Asian immigrants to America? After nding out about this in my Asian American history class, I asked my friends and family if they knew the answer to this question. The responses, as I expected, were no surprise; the most popular answer was a hasty reply, The 49'ers," referring to the Chinese gold-seekers who began to arrive in America during the year 1849 in search of gold. It was, however, the Filipinos, who rst immigrated to America. Many people believe that the Chinese people
What was an American? Western Europeans came to America to start new lives, with new laws, a new social system but all in all to become new men. In contrast African emigrants were brought to America to tend to the needs of the settlers from Europe. They were brought over to be slaves. Each of these views are views of St Jean de Crevecoeur and Fredrick Douglass. St Jean de Crevecoeur, was an emigrant of Europe. Crevecoeur, had no desire to go back to the land in which his forefathers had lived
a journey which lasted months, possibly years of your life, you would want to arrive at your destination seeing the same thing you had dreamt of during the trip. What if, when you got there, you discovered that the dream was actually a myth? The American settlers discovered just that. Is this not similar to High School? Everybody has a specific view, or dream, of High School that very first day they walk in as a freshman. How often is this dream a realistic one? Take, for instance, the first settlers
AMERICAN HOLOCAUST The other side of the story to our great American history is not as pretty as they teach us in grade school. The American Holocaust by David Stannard is a novel full of live excerpts from eyewitnesses to the genocide of the American Indians. He goes as far as to describe what life was most likely like before Europeans came to the Americas and obliterated the "Paradise" so described. Columbus even wrote how beautiful the places were in which he committed acts against the Natives
American Pie The movie American Pie is about four high schoolers, close to graduating, determined not to carry their virginity's with them to college and so they make a pact to lose their virginity by prom night. The movie is directed by Paul Weitz and stars Jason Biggs, Chris Klein and Tara Reids and takes place around Michigan's East Great Falls High. The movie opens with student Jim (Jason Biggs) being caught by his parents pleasuring himself in a tube sock while trying to watch a scrambled broadcast
What an American Is Webster?s Dictionary defines American as or its inhabitants. But is that all America and an American truly is? Is a person American simply because of geography? According to Identities, ?America is a confluence of cultures.? Americans are people whose lives depict men and women who are trying to be as successful and robust as possible, this quest is symbolic to citizens of many other countries. This is why America illustrates the Statue of Liberty, a structure that symbolizes
Through suffering, comes a new consciousness in man. America has been a haven for unity and freedom for decades. To achieve this requires much loss and pain. The strive of the American culture for the attainment of such social luxuries is of great courage, will-power, faith and pride. During a time when the first World War had ended and the country was in a state of isolation, there were people within its borders that had an undying belief in what this country stood for. Though often overlooked and