Relfection

Before we started this unit I thought that America was perfect, perfect place to live, grow, and dream to be whatever you wanted to be. After reading these articles and learning more about how other people view America has changed my thoughts. I do believe that America is a great place to live but it is not perfect and never will be until we do change something’s about how we live. I now think that us Americans are very greedy, selfish, and arrogant due to the fact that we think that we have it all and we can get whatever we want if we pay for it. This is actually not true because we have been in so much dept that it is hurting our economy. 

There were two texts that influenced me a lot. One was “American and Americans”. This text influenced me in a negative way because it really pint point on all the bad things that do happen here. It also made me understand that where I live isn’t the perfect place and never will be. The other text that influenced me was “The America I Love”. This text influenced me in a positive way. It did because there are a lot of people who don’t have it as good as we do. It made me realize that I can’t take the little things for granted because if some people had the same chances that I have would make the most of it.

An unanswered question that I still have is what are we doing as a country to try and fix all of these negative things?

Final Letter

August 25, 2013                                                                                Megan Massey

Denver Post

3452 Denver Ave.

895 Denver, CO

Dear John Steinbeck,

While I was reading your article I agreed and disagreed with some of things you mentioned. It was great to see someone else’s point of view that was so strong and dedicated in what they believe in.

The way this article was written I thought was very creative because it made me think in a different way about how Americans actually are. You mentioned all the negatives that take place in American there are some positives that I personally think you forgot to mention. Although you did talk about all the negatives , I thought that it was very refreshing seeing someone write with such an opinion.   

There was something that really stood out to me and that is when you said how greedy Americans are. When you stated, “ We fight our way in, and try to buy our way out” (Steinbeck) I agreed completely because we are so greedy and fight for what we want but then when we don’t want it anymore or we are in trouble we try to buy ourselves out of it.

“Our lives would not function without electricity.” (Steinbeck) completely relates to me because everything that all Americans do revolves around electricity in some way, whether it is transportation, communication, and basically every other important (and non-important) activity we partake in.

This article takes multiple perspectives on the American dream ad the lifestyles of Americans. It shows some of the positives (which in my mind, outweigh the negatives overall) that come with living in the country and some drawbacks as we move from generation to generation. As the country grows older, and becomes more technologically developed, our morals and values changed. Our views seem to be more focused upon technologically-based activities, and less on what used to be the essential skills and knowledge to make it in America.

Looking back at all the things that have changed here in America is hard to think about. When things change so do people and when I read this article I think that that's what you don't like. For example when you said, " We are great rifle shots and great hunters - but when hunting season opens there is a slaughter of farm animals and humans by men and woman who couldn't hit a real target if they could see it." I disagree with this quote because we have evolved as humans and we don't need to hunt like we used to. Things have changed and we have adapted to those things.

My personal opinion is that we have it so many opportunities great here in America that a lot of people don't realize. We might not be the best country all around but the that are in our reach is incredible. People here should see those opportunities and understand that America isnt as bad as most people put it out to be.

August 25, 2013                                                                                Megan Massey

Denver Post

3452 Denver Ave.

895 Denver, CO

Dear John Steinbeck,

While I was reading your article I agreed and disagreed with some of things you mentioned. It was great to see someone else’s point of view that was so strong and dedicated in what they believe in.

The way this article was written I thought was very creative because it made me think about how we do act in America. At the same time there are a lot of positives that happen in America and a lot of us don’t realize. When you were writing this article I think that you should have had some positives followed by some negatives.

There was something that really stood out to me and that is when you said how greedy Americans are. When you stated, “ We fight our way in, and try to buy our way out” (Steinbeck) I agreed completely because we are so greedy and fight for what we want but then when we don’t want it anymore or we are in trouble we try to buy ourselves out of it.

“Our lives would not function without electricity.” (Steinbeck) completely relates to me because everything that all Americans do revolves around electricity in some way, whether it is transportation, communication, and basically every other important (and non-important) activity we partake in.

This article takes multiple perspectives on the American dream ad the lifestyles of Americans. It shows some of the positives (which in my mind, outweigh the negatives overall) that come with living in the country and some drawbacks as we move from generation to generation. As the country grows older, and becomes more technologically developed, our morals and values changed. Our views seem to be more focused upon technologically-based activities, and less on what used to be the essential skills and knowledge to make it in America.