I think America was a dream for some people and not for some. In these paragraphs I will talk about America being a dream and not. Walt Whitman said everyone loves America and it is an amazing place. Langston Hughes talks about America not being a dream and not everyone likes it here. The truth is America is not a dream for everyone. I don’t think America was a dream for everyone. America wasn’t always the land of opportunity for everyone. Langston Hughes says “let it be the dream it used to be.” America was where people were willing to die to live the American Dream. At the time of the poem there were mixed emotions about America. Most of the unprivileged people in America at the time thought America was not a dream. Their reality was to
Jon Meacham’s, Keeping the Dream Alive(2012), claims that at the time America was not that appreciated and was trying to improve and spread what they call the American Dream. The author develops his theory by introducing John Updike’s book called Rabbit Redux and how Rabbit tries to clamps the freedom of this country, explaining how back then in the 19th and 20th century they would almost never talk about Chinese, Russian or the French dream and now the subject is much more open and how many people believe that the american Dream is to be able to have a good job. Meacham’s point in this section is that times have changed and in order to acomplish this more people had too mention other sorts of “American Dreams” which does signify how most people
Langston Hughes had an American dream also, but in his dream, people were not happy or satisfied with their jobs they wanted to know why they couldn’t have a normal life like everyone else or have the freedom to do what they
I have to agree with you Elizabeth, that Benjamin Franklin is what we consider to be the quintessential American. More specifically, because of his work ethic, independence, and innovation. What I really enjoyed about reading the works of Thomas Paine was his passion for America 's freedom and liberty! You chose two very important American predecessors, who essentially founded America and the American character today. I chose Black Hawk and Walt Whitman as my two favorite authors for this semester.
In The Epic of America in 1931, Adams argues that the American Dream is “the dream of a social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable” (Adams 404). While Adams admits that material success is a part that defines the dream, he stresses that the most
In the short story America and I, the author Anzia Yezierska writes about a Russian girl that comes to America to have a chance to be successful. The Russian immigrant and many other immigrants who migrate over to America believe that it is the land of opportunity, where dreams become reality. She came to America to pursue the so called American dream, her dream was to be able to do the things she was not able to do in Russia, and to take advantage of opportunities that her family members were not offered. Yezierska has the Russian immigrant say that, “America was a land of living hope, woven dreams, aflame with longing and desires.”
Evie Bedrick Ms. Leininger Language Arts Period 7 2 February 2018 Poetry Assessment For many people the American dream is to pursue happiness. Something that has been in the country for decades. It gives people the hope and an optimistic attitude toward the brighter future. In “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman and “I, Too, Sing America” by Langston Hughes, both explore the theme of the American dream.
America has been around for 238 years, providing opportunity for anyone who is willing to grab it. Has America really provided a dream or is it all a false image created by the government to lure immigrants so we can mock them? Our history shows that we haven’t provided an American dream, we provided an American nightmare. It’s all about building a future, but how are you supposed to build a future if you’re social status and race fail you?
He takes the thought that this American dream might not have been all he imagined, but does build up a sense of empowerment towards the ending. “O, yes, I say it plain, America never was America to me, and yet I swear this oath--America will be!” (36-40) As opposed to the beginning of the poem where he felt out of place in his own homeland. In many of these lines his language evokes a sensory mental image that allows the reader to assume what he had felt in writing this.
“We must bring back our mighty dream again,” said by Langston Hughes. That quote from “Let America be America Again” means everybody in America has a dream and some feel they can’t have a chance to achieve it because of the inequalities in America. Also, Walt Whitman’s poem, “I Hear America Singing,” ties in with the quote because they are working at a lower scaled job, but they are happy. They are happy because they feel that they are experiencing the American dream.
The American dream is a dream of land in which life should be better and richer for everyone. It’s a land where people succeed to accomplish their ambition of a better life. Most of the people have a different way of defining this American Dream. Unfortunately, for some, it could mean wealth,status,or power whereas for others it could mean companionship, good morals,love,and amity. According to our Declaration of Independence, it entitles every man and woman the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of the earth. (Abraham Lincoln) In the poem "Let America Be America Again," Langston Hughes paints an affecting and diverse stanza, displaying peaceful passages to angry outbursts. His resonance seems confessional, as he is speaking about his own exposure and communicating for all the unheard Americans. Hughes addresses how America considers to be, has shifted to them to think, and could pursue to be again.
The American Dream is a concept that we have created which illustrates a perfect life. Growing up, we are taught that we can be anything we dream of as long as we put our mind to it. We view ourselves and our country as the best, since we believe that we can achieve any goal with effort and perseverance. As stated in John Steinbeck’s “Paradox and Dream,” we are strong believers of our beliefs and “seem to be in a state of turmoil all the time, both physically and mentally”. We have made it appear as if the American Dream can be achieved as we are diligent, well inherited individuals that could make anything possible as long as we have the mentality and commitment to accomplish it.
The American Dream is Attainable Dreaming of success, a bright future, or even hope? An idea placed in the Declaration of Independence, The American Dream has been a beacon of hope to many; however, does The American Dream really exist? Some can and will argue that it’s dead, and that it isn’t achievable. I believe it’s alive, but it has to be realistic. By being realistic, anything could be possible, but only with the amount of effort put forth.
"I Hear America Singing" focuses on the glories of America, showcasing the happiness and joy that is present on a daily basis. This is clearly evidenced in one of the lines from Whitman's poem: "Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs." However, "I, Too, Sing America highlights the darker side of American life during this era. Unlike Whitman, Hughes' poem takes a much more serious tone, that forces the reader to consider the other side of the coin. This is poignately illustrated in the line, "And be ashamed -" which points to the "they" that will be ashamed in the future for how "they" treated the African American
In contrast with Whitman's poem, Hughes sends his message about America with rhyme and some imagery. He demonstrates his resentful and negative tone as being disappointed with America. For example, he writes, “Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed” (Hughes). Depicting that America is not what everyone believes it to be. By saying this, Hughes implies that America isn’t truly united and free.