The 21st Century American and The Dream

My answer really hasn't changed much from the beginning of class. Even though I don't believe anyone in our class is really lazy or rude, I still think that the typical American is. Most people are impatient and want things done their way. I just recently moved to Edwardsville and my girls and I went shopping in St. Louis for my birthday. I came to find out that people who live in St. Louis are even more rude then in Springfield. People would bump into us at the mall and just keep walking without saying sorry or anything. And people would just cut infront of us in lines and we are like excuse you? and they would just look back with a face of "you are in my way". It is so crazy how disrespectful people are to you when you are just out and about doing your own thing. I do realize some people are not like this, but will argue that many act or have acted this way one time or another.

As for the American Dream, I still think that it is Love, Life, and happiness. Some people will disagree that love is their life dream, but that is probably because they haven't found the right one or have gotten their heart broken before. Anyone who has experienced love or is in love will agree that there is nothing better then to be with your other half. My dream as of right now is fulfilled, and hopefully will stay that way. I have found love and happiness, and would never want anything to change it. I could be broke and without, but would still be happy because I have someone to support me through whatever. I also want to add, from reading these books, that identity is a very important dream of many. Some people just want to belong and know where they came from, as in Indian Killer with John and Marie. And some people want to grow into something more then what their parents expect, like in Woman Warrior, with the narrator. She wants to show her mother that women can make a living without a man and be important.

Woman Warrior

Woman Warrior by Kingston was a great novel that taught me about Chinese culture and how it was for the narrator to grow up in America, but be raised by a Chinese mother. In the beginning chapter, it was really interesting to read about the narrators "dream" or story, about her becoming a warrior woman and avenging her family. She referenced Mulan, which is a great disney movie, and shows so much courage. I think she tells this story to have us believe she wants to protect her family, and when her mother tells her stories of her relatives, the narrator wants to help, but can't because she wasnt there.

In the last chapter, the narrator tells about her school experience. This chapter was definitely an eye opener because I never had a chinese classmate and even though maybe not now, but back then, the narrator made it sound like chinese americans had such a difficult time speaking and mixing in with the other students. When the mother told her that she cut her tongue, but didn't really remember details of it, it made the narrator imagine various ways that it happened to her. This made her obsessed with the idea of violence, but at the same time she said she liked that her mother did it. The narrator also had a bad voice, which her mother critized alot and that I think played into the narrator being sick all the time when she stayed with her mother. I believe the mother was mostly the reasons why she had so much trouble in life. Her mother didn't understand americans really, and never understood her six chinese american children.

Overall, the book makes you realize that things like this happen all the time to people from different cultures. I did some research for the article presentation, and found that many korean and chinese do cut their childrens tongue, if they need it or not, because they believe it will help them speak English. Its crazy, but that is how it is.

Beloved

The book Beloved by Toni Morrison was a great read. In the beginning, the story was very hard to understand, because of how the flashbacks were so smoothly transistioned into the present. This story is really complex and is a lot to take in all at once. Reading about them being slaves on Sweet Home and how badly they were treated once schoolteacher came, made me realize at the end, when Sethe explained why she killed her children, that her violence was out of Love. Even though no one can being to understand how it felt to be a slave with children, I can imagine myself in similar circumstances and I would probably do the same thing as Sethe. If I had kids I would not want them to go through anything like that ever. I really liked how certain things gave hints as to Beloved being the manifested ghost. A few examples was the scar on Beloveds throat, how Beloved asked Sethe questions to make her tell stories of her past, and finally how when Sethe first saw her, she peed forever, like giving birth.

I think Paul D was very important to this novel. He found Sethe, after years of wanting her, and he had stayed in 124, trying to make a family with Sethe and Denver. Paul D also told Sethe about her husband Halle, and how he went crazy after seeing Sethes milk be stolen. Even though Paul D brought up the past, it had to be spoken for them to get over it and move on to a happy life. He also saw things for how they were, telling Sethe that Beloved was trouble, that something wasn't quite right with her, when no one else saw it right away.

This book was insightful to make people realize what happened back when slavery was going on. How crazy one can get due to all the awful things they went through. Especially since this is based off someones life, it makes readers have more compassion for Sethe, even though some say it was wrong of her to kill her child.

Discrimination

Discrimination really hits home for me. I am in a relationship with a black man and have been for two years. My father is racist, but only to black people. My brother married a philipino girl and my dad had no problems with it. But for some reason, he can't stand to have me date a black guy. Its very stressful and hard to deal with because I love my boyfriend alot and would love for him to meet my parents, but since my dad is so rude and hateful, I can't bring him around, or stand the thought of him having to deal with my dad face to face because I know what my dad would say. My dad and I fight about it all the time, and have been for over three years now about this. And whats worst of all, is that I am eventually going to get married, and he probably won't come. It really hurts alot to know that your dad can't even open up a little for his daughter to be happy.  Today there are so many bi-racial couples that I would think it wouldnt matter anymore, but not only does my dad hate it, but when my boyfriend and I go out in public, older white people stare at us like we are a freak show or something. Or when we are in the car at a stop light, always, there are stares. Color should not matter at all, and if anyone thinks that it does, then they need to check themselves.

Sometimes I will be around people and they will make comments about other races, and I straight out say you all are so ridiculous and hateful. Everyone is mixed with so many different backgrounds that just because their skin color is white, black, or yellow, doesn't mean they are just that. They could be mixed, and shouldnt have to choose if they are just white or black. You are who you are from the inside, not the outside.

Indian Killer

The book Indian Killer by Sherman Alexie was amazing. I really enjoyed reading this novel because it was entertaining, thought provoking, and very emotional throughout. Alexie used many little details to paint a picture in my mind about the characters and their surroundings; their dreams and struggles. John Smith, being adopted, was dead from the start, as it stated in the book. When I read that, it made sense, and I understood where the story was going. John had always imagined this life on a reservation, which opened my eyes into how much John felt out of place living with his white parents, who loved him and gave him everything. He ultimately wanted to Feel like an Indian. Father Duncan had taught John many things about Indians, and when he disappeared, John lost it. He always had dreams about the desert, more like visions, and always heard music, when he was awake. I believe this was a mental illness, set on by his obessions to be Indian and Father Duncans disappearance; being alone. John's want to Kill a white man was part of this obession. He believed the white man ruined everything, because from the very second he was born, he was ripped away from this mother and given to a White couple.

Marie was a very powerful character who I felt was strong, even though she felt struggle everyday. Her passion about Indians was inspiring, and her fight made me realize how someones culture or origin can be so important to how one feels. She hated Jack Wilson and Dr. Mathers because they wanted to be Indian, "pretending" they were. She saw them as being White. 

Throughout this whole novel, it is a struggle. A racial struggle. Reading this book really made me emotional because we are all humans, no matter what color our skin is. And to read this power struggle between races really got me to think. People actually think this way all the time, even today. When something big happens, such as the Indian Killer, people go crazy and turn on each other. The Indian Killer, whether Indian or not, was a Symbol. It symbolized racism. Once people began to die, everyones true colors came out. It also symbolizes the Indians struggle to survive in a world where white men think they are better. At the end, it said the Indian Killer danced and danced, and thousands of other Indians showed up and learned the song and dance; as owls kept coming to sit in the tree. This just allowed us to understand that more violence was going to come, and more people were going to die, all for trying to get a point across. A great point at that, and I believe also that the Indian Killer needed to happen, such as all the other Indians stated.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was an enjoyable read. I actually really liked the book and thought it was interesting and hilarious. I know most people in class didn't particularly like it or understand the point of the book, but you have to think outside of yourself and in a way imagine yourself being there with them.

Most of the book was random events and flashbacks, but I think that is what Hunter S. Thompson wanted, so we as readers will have to think about things and events that he experienced. All of the drug use in this book did make it confusing at times to understand if things were real or not. Thompson's mission to find the American Dream was the theme of the book and also throughout the book, it showed that the American Dream is never where you are. Las Vegas was supposed to be the heart of the American Dream, and come to find out, Vegas really is just a place that uses people and then spits them back out. 

In all reality, the book is kind of sad, considering the message is that the American Dream is almost unobtainable.

The American Dream

In today's society the "American Dream" is to have someone who loves them. Everyone has that desire to be loved, and for most americans, they want a happy family and home. This is why so many dating sites on the internet have been created. Americans want love, support, and a family and when they find someone, they rush into things trying to have this "love". But, this leads too the reason why divorce rates are on the rise.

Another dream that many americans have is to be successful in their life, with anything they want to achieve. The average American's dream is also to have an income and support themselves, and their family if they have one. Even just having a job they love and enjoy would make so many people happy.

If you ask Americans today what their dreams in life would be ~~ love, success, and happiness.