`` This American Life ``

American poets, novelists, and other writers often write about the topic of American identity. In this lesson, you have read excerpts from two texts, “Response to Executive Order 9066” by Dwight Okita, and “Mericans” by Sandra Cisneros. Determine a common theme that both authors establish about the topic. In response to the first sign of American identity I noticed by the sort of stories in the classifications of relatives in style tradition Americans names such as empty and uncle. The next thing I noticed relates to young American identity, regarding childhood. As a result of American culture a couple things that could be experienced and childhood during this period, the narrator tries to avoid falling victim of. For example, the grandmother

The Quiet American is considered one of Graham Greene’s major achievements. The story is told with excellent characterization and sophisticated irony. The plot

The American family is modeled as being happy, calming, and cheerful but for many it is the opposite of that In the novel, Until They Bring the Streetcars Back, by Stanley Gordon, he doesn't romanticize and make the characters life beautiful and perfect. He chooses to give the characters major difficulties in their lives that set them back. Based in St.Paul, Minnesota in the late 40's and early 50's, the difficulties the main teenage characters go through our different then what teenagers go through today. Cal deals with his Fathers disconnection with him. Steve is dealing with always feeling pitied and guilty. But they don't compare to the hardship Gretchen is going through in her household. These characters go through many problems in the book but somehow find a way to relieve their pain.

The American is a new man who is neither a European, nor his direct descendant. He is a strange mix of blood which cannot be found in any other country. The American is described as a person whose grandfather was an Englishman, his mother was Dutch and who has married a Frenchwoman. The American is a person who has left behind all his ancient manners and prejudices, and has received new ones from the mode of life he has embraced, the rank he holds and the government he obeys. A person becomes an American after being received in the broad lap of the great Alma Mater, and he becomes melted down into the new race of men whose posterity and efforts could transform the world in the days to come.

The novel The Round House revolves around the questionable morality of vengeance. Louise Erdrich, shares the tale of a young boy and his endeavor to gain vengeance for his mother’s rape. Through the eyes of Joe Coutts, a story of crime and justice unfolds. Joe’s aggression emerges after he discovers his mother, Geraldine, is raped. Consequently, Joe attempts to avenge his mother by locating the perpetrator, Linden Lark, and killing him. Does Joe’s quest to find vengeance, justify his plot for murder? The moral conflict between justice and vengeance interferes with Joe’s plan. Erdrich voices, “I don’t remember that they even looked at me or I at them after the shock of that first moment when we all realized we were old” (317). Joe finds out the judge is uncertain whether Lark can be accused at all, this sparks Joe to carry on his own personal quest for retribution. Erdrich uses Joe’s vigilante perspective to question the morality of vengeance; it acts as a call to action when dealing with family affairs.

It says on page 5 that, “He had been in trouble with the law for half his life.” You also find out that he has problems controlling his anger on that page. We learn that, “His parents were alcoholics and his dad beat him.” on page 7.

In the book Our America two young men named LeAlan Jones and Lloyd Newman did a documentary about life on the southside of Chicago. As they talked about how life in their community they seen the struggle and they seen the good but after finished reading the book and watching movie version of Our America have many differences such as how much David Isay played a role in their life the most,changing the relationship between them the boys , and how the boys started their career. In the Movie David Isay help the boys a lot. He helped LeAlan and Lloyd tell their stories about their daily life even though people were slandering them.

See, while most people saw this model image he portrayed, others saw him for who they thought he truly was. He drank, smoked, had sex, even going as far as going behind his parents back and dating

There were many moral issues raised in this podcast. Some were individually perceived morals flaws, while others were more widely agreed upon to be negative. Some of his ethical issues that are more subjective were things like absentee parenting, extramarital affairs, drugs, and alcohol use. However, his more egregious ethical issues were the physical and emotional abuse of his children, particularly Josie, his assault on his son’s girlfriend, and his malicious treatment of his wives in response to his own life failings. He consistently rationalized his wrong doings and blamed those around him for his inability to be who he wanted. Overall, his life sounded like a case of undiagnosed and untreated mental

Dillard wrote An American Childhood to show the reader the life of a wealthy American girl in the 1940’s. She wrote of the situations she faced as a child for others who are facing them so they can see that they are not alone. With words she sketches the images of growing up. The hope and thrill and courage. These “stupid kids” (pg 48) regularly have new tricks up their sleeves and games to play. Whether they are playing sports or throwing snowballs at moving cars, the children are up to something. When they are throwing the snowballs, they are surprised when a “car pulled over and stopped,” (pg 46) and when “a man got out of it, running.” (pg 46)

The title of Judith Guest’s novel, Ordinary People, intertwines with many of the ideas she presents. The Jarretts, a family of ordinary people, ironically face an extraordinary burden as they try to return to normality after Jordan’s death and Conrad’s suicide attempt. Despite their affluence, they must endure the pain and slow healing process like everyone else in their situation. Guest presents the Jarretts as the stereotypical American family, with a male breadwinner, a female homemaker, and their son.

He couldn’t help that he was raised in a terrible environment. His mom was a prostitute and a crack-head and his father was an abusive drunk who collected workers compensation. His father’s name was Jeffrey Greene. He was a construction worker, a metal beam fell disabling his right leg. He walked with a limp. He was one of the most grouchy men you could have ever meet. He didn’t seem to care that his wife

Thus, literature illustrates the significance of different views of being an American. Literature depicts what it means to be an American as being able to care for one’s family. Lorraine Hansberry illustrates family care in her play A Raisin in the Sun. Through Walter’s anagnorisis, he decides to decline the money from Mr. Lindner. He states, “And we have decided to move into our house because my father --- my father --- he earned it for us brick by brick …

The family that seems superficially happy turns out to be extremely disconnected. The family’s inability to communicate efficiently between one another leaves them vulnerable to weakness. Morton inability to protect his family puts his respected role as father and husband at risk. Bel Kaufman uses this story as a representation of how to not be disconnected as a family

American culture refers to the traditions and practices of the people of the United States. Culture comprises of the nature of buildings, religion, music language and marriage. The population of the United States is more than 320 million people making it the most culturally diverse country in the globe. Books such as Crabgrass Frontier, Manifest Destination and Muscular Christianity are important sources of information about American culture. This paper is a reflection on the methods that these books use in providing information about the evolution of the US culture. The paper examines the relationship between these three sources and ways they challenge or inform an understanding of the American society during the late 19th and early 20th century. There is an analysis of the efficiency of the issues tackled by these books in influencing the contemporary discourse surrounding American culture. The major argument of this paper is that Crabgrass Frontier, Manifest Destination and Muscular Christianity provide reliable information about the evolution of the US culture and they supplement each other through the use of relevant examples.