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Explain What It Means To Be An American Essay

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What does it mean to be an American? To be an American means not taking anything for granted and for being thankful for what we have and not being greedy for what we don't have, but may want. There are many different sources to describe an American, but the ones that are better to use are, "America and I", "Veterans Day: Never Forget Their Duty", and "Address on the Occasion of the Fifteen Anniversary of the Statue of Liberty, October 28, 1936." According to these sources, an American is someone who is free and they are proud to be an American no matter what is happening. What is an American according to source "American and I" is about a woman that comes to America from Poland looking for a new life here, hoping that she can become just like everyone else, but soon comes to realizes that she won't be like the other Americans. Anzia says in chunk 3 paragraph 45, "Who am I? What am I? What do I want with my life? Where is America? Is there an American? What is this wilderness in which I'm lost?" She is looking out to the dark sky asking these questions in hope to get an answer, but what she doesn't realize is that you have to work for what you want. But in order to work for what she wants she must first …show more content…

Roosevelt's speech at the anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. When the speech was given there was a second war about to begin, so he focused his speech around unity, peace, and liberty. He says in his speech in paragraph 8 "...the Goddess of Liberty and the Goddess of Peace..." What he is trying to say is that the people of America were hoping that they were the same. In Roosevelt's speech also talks about in paragraph 11 "...message of liberty...message of peace..." he is talking about how American should focus on liberty, peace, and unity. Without that we wouldn't have the nation that we have

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During an argument with her father, Sara Smolinsky said, “My will is as strong as yours. I 'm going to live my own life. Nobody can stop me. I 'm not from the old country, I 'm American.” This is a quote from page 138 in the novel, Bread Givers.

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The author uses a rhetorical question to feel readers wonder about themselves in America and what it means to become an American citizen. The author also

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What does it mean to be an American today? Being an American isn’t hard,but sometimes people just like to not follow things. First thing is being to say The Pledge of Allegiance in school than sitting down on your lazy butt. Second thing is being yourself. Three thing is if you are at a game standing up and put your hand on our heart for The Star Stander Bender .

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According to Karina Salgado to be an American is to have the ability to have more liberty, an education, and overcome obstacles. Also, throughout the interview Karina stated that she doesn't consider herself an American,

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What it means to be an American is that you have the freedom to vote freedom of speech. You have the liberty to be what you want in America no one chooses for you. Also have the liberty to work wherever you want not be someone 's slave. Being American means you don 't have to hide your religion, the color of your skin or your sex. You have the ability to speak what you want.

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She encounters many different men and situations that continuously make it harder and harder for her to work her way out of their rut and build a decent life in America. “There was no one to protect her, no one to care. All she could see was the image of those animals at the border, the half-a-gringo and his evil eyes and filthy insinuating fingers, the fat white man with his fat white hands, and she withdrew herself, dwelled there deep inside where nobody could touch her” (234). Very early on in this novel, America shows just how much she is willing to endure, in order to

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873 Words | 4 Pages

We all go through life in varying manners, some choose to challenge the everyday laws, others cling to the authority hoping not to get noticed, we have different jobs, go to different schools, live in different neighborhoods, some of us have hundreds of family members, and some have none, theres no telling the situation. So the question in general is hard to answer because every American has a different view of living in america. Some people see it as shameful to live in such a cruel country, some are proud to be a part of something that is constantly evolving, there are endless feelings towards America and all are found in the people of this country. What does it mean to be an American? It is a very difficult question to answer and it seems impossible to get the right answer, but is there a right answer?

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To be an American it’s a native or citizen of the United States. But what is the true meaning of being an American? An American is someone who wants for granted to have freedom in life to live the lavish lifestyle. Like for example, the Statue of Liberty represents the symbol of freedom and another symbol of freedom is the national flag representing liberty. Dozens come to America to migrate and wanting to be known as the name of they’ve always been wanted to be called is an American .

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Don’t be afraid to change because change only leads to a new beginning. Anyone can say they are American, but what does it truly mean to be an American? Can anyone be an American? Is there really such thing as freedom, how would you react if you could go somewhere without being judged and you can be who you are? Can anyone really live an American dream?

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Being an American is having patriotism for your country, fighting for your country,and accepting everybody. The United States is based off the American dream and the American dream is made of what makes the United States “United” . An “American” can be anybody an immigrant, a soldier, doctor ,farmer, even a kid. Theodore Roosevelt understood that and called America a “melting pot” , meaning since different people came from different places, people shared their cultures, race , food. We came together, we became united we all came looking for change and a better life.

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Being an American can mean many different things all depending on the different perspectives of different ethnic or religious groups. So what does being an American mean to me? Being an American to means that everyone can live a happy stress free life where they don’t have to worry about being discriminated against or feeling like they don’t have equal rights. To start with, being an American can range in definition depending on a person 's perspective of America. Personally, I would say being an American is when you can live a happy life where you don 't have to worry about being treated differently because of the color of your skin.

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What is an American? An American can be described as many things and in many ways. It is fair to say that Americans all expect to be treated the same as one another, as well as any other person, American or not. Americans also like to have the choice between at least two positive alternatives. Americans feel the need to act upon new principles.

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Of course there are a lot of other meanings to be an American but those are the most important in some people’s opinion. People from outside our country have dreams to come to America and be something great by thinking big on how life will be. Anzia Yezierska, a novelist born in Poland, wrote a short story called “America and I”, it’s about her heart following the land of hope and freedom. She continued to speak on how she believed things would just be handed to her but that was not the case. To be an American you have to work hard.

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In America and I, Yezierska describes how she never had the chance to find out who she is inside because she always had to work to make a living. Based on this information, one can't find the purpose on what to do with their life because they are always busy working for themselves. Besides working for a living, Americans can be define as working hard to make a new improved America, which actually reaches the expectations. In Address on the Occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Statue of Liberty, Roosevelt argues how an American can change America "by their effort and devotion they made the New World's freedom safer, richer, more far-reaching more capable or growth.” In other words, Roosevelt believes that the more time and effort an American puts in their home country, the more efficient and superior America is going to get by generation.

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431 Words | 2 Pages

What does it mean to be an American: The land of the free and the home of the brave? Due to the diversity that America offers, the people regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, cultures, backgrounds and sexual orientation have an equal opportunity for a better life in America. In Anna Quindlen’s “A Quilt of a Country,” she explains how people view America. She writes that being an American is an idea that works despite that fact that it should not due to the diversity that exist in the country. Quindlen informs the reader that America was uniquely constructed on no precise culture or race.

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