The American Dream: October 2008

Saturday, October 25, 2008

The Essential Question: Bradstreet

After reading and analyzing Anne Bradstreet's poem, I have begun to shape an answer to the question: What is an American?

Anne Bradstreet's subtle questioning of society and religion in her poetry has caused me to realize that Americans are people who choose what they want to believe and who they want to be. After years of class struggles between races, genders, and religions, America has become a forum where everyone is valued for what they can bring to the table, not what they look like or what they believe.

*Credit to: ~BetrayMe on deviantArt

Diary Entry A: William Bradford

From the Diary of Johnathan Williams, November 15th, 1620

Today we spotted the first savages inland of Cape Cod! We, that is, sixteen settlers led by Captain Standish, follwed them in brave pursuit, hoping that they spoke English and trying to discover if there were more of them in ambush. Alas, but the Savages, with their knowledge of the woods, managed to elude us. Although we tried to follow their tracks, we were soon lost and prayed to God to deliver us from the wild bushes that clawed at us, needle-like. At last God answered our prayers and guided us to a stream of water which tasted better than the finest spirits in England. Proceeding onwards, we happened across an Indian burial ground and a cornfeild. After collecting some of the corn, we returned to the Maylfower where there was much thanks directed at the heavens for the source of food, and ultimately hope.

Diary Entry B: Anne Bradstreet

Dear Diary,

I have suddenly had the chance to view the future world through the eyes of an American woman in the year 2009. The future holds many things in store for us-- moving boxes of metal, stacks of glass boxes, and slates of moving pictures. Not only this, but I caught a glimpse of the plight of women in the future. What changes!

We have come a long way, but we still have a ways to go. I saw women struggling to maintain a household and multiple jobs. Is this what they call freedom? Where their husbands can tell themselves that the women are strong enough to handle the work of 3men? I believe that we should have the same opportunities, not the weight and responsibility of the world. Yet I also saw increasingly amazing changes. Women were going to schools and universities, becoming lawyers and doctors, and excelling at academics. If only my dear Simon could see the world in the future! He would not approve of female lawyers in his practice, I know it. I also saw women proving themselves every day by showing up to work more consistently than men, and working just as hard if not harder. Women are now authors of books, poetry, biographies, and any kind of literature you can imagine.

The future world, however, values their possessions very deeply. When I saw the lengths people would go to to obtain various objects, I was astonished. And no longer is everyone Puritan! There are even those who do not believe in God-- how has this come about? Does God no longer love and instill His faith in the future? How would I survive?
~~~~~Anne

The American Dream

Saturday, October 25, 2008

The Essential Question: Bradstreet

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Diary Entry A: William Bradford

Diary Entry B: Anne Bradstreet

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