Saving Private Ryan Cultural Analysis

This essay compares “In response to executive order 9066” (poem) by Dwight Okita to “Mericans” (short story) by Sandra Cisneros. Specifically, the essay explores the central theme of American identity in the two literary works. The “Mericans” is about a little girl who has a story about the new world and the old world. In this case, the new world is America. The young girl is prevented from entering the church where her grandmother has prayers. As a person from the old world, the young girl is not allowed to play with boys from the new world. On the other hand, “in response to executive order” by Dwight Okita is about Americans of Japanese origins that were supposed to report to relocation

In the texts, "In Response to Executive Order 9066" by Dwight Okita and "Mericans" by Sandra Cisneros, a topic of American identity and perception of identity is shared. Both texts take a brief look at the lives, characteristics, and feelings of young girls living a bicultural life. In Cisnero's story, the girl seems caught between her two different cultures, and she struggles to connect with her Mexican heritage. In Okita's poem, the girl has a clear sense of her identity and place as an American. Culture is experienced and interpreted differently by each individual and each group of people. The expression of themes and topic in "In Response to Executive Order 9066" and "Mericans" shows that there is no one way or right way to be American or appreciate American culture.

Former Illinois State Senator and soon to be Forty-fourth president of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama, recounts what happened in the past to make America what is today and how he intends to maintain the ideas of America’s founding fathers throughout his term of presidency. His intended audience of the first inaugural address is the citizens of America and his purpose was to comfort them about the past and encourage the future of America. He creates a patriotic and empowering tone in order to appeal to pathos. His diction throughout the speech illustrates patriotism, allusions, and anaphoras.

As the fireworks explode in the night sky to celebrate Independence Day, “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen plays loudly for the audience to hear. As the men, women, and children bellow out the chorus proudly, they never seem to grasp its intended meaning. By studying the appeals and irony used in Springsteen’s lyrics, it is easy to see how Springsteen’s message of the poor treatment of Vietnam War veterans is misconstrued by millions of listeners into American pride. Springsteen’s intended audience is a group made up of mainly white, blue collar Americans- a group not likely to accept criticism of America. Through unclear lyrics and a poorly selected audience, Springsteen’s hit “Born in the U.S.A.” is a rhetorical failure.

In 1782, French aristocrat J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur, wrote an essay titled Letters of an American Farmer as a way of defining Americans. To persuade readers from countries unfamiliar with the American society is his purpose for writing this. Throughout he shows a feeling of admiration and respect towards the American way of life.

After reading various poems about our nation, many can conclude that different people have different opinions and views on America. When people hear the word “America” some feel upset or gloomy. Some may feel warm or cheery inside. Some may feel indifferent or confused. There are a million and one ways that people express their emotions towards the land of the free and the brave. The two poems, “America” by Claude McKay and “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman are perfect demonstrations of how people can address the same topic, but go about it very differently.

Detroit’s republican congressman, Robert Clancy, in his persuasive speech, “Un-America Bill”, elaborates on the racism of Quota Act of 1921 additionally, consequently, the patriotic acts of immigrants. Clancy’s purpose is stamping his disdain of the recently formed Act, onto any listener. He molds a nostalgic tone in order to emphasize his feelings to his listeners, that explains the Quota Act of 1921, moreover his opposition of this. Robert Clancy of ‘Un-American Bill’ does a checkered job of convincing the audience by strong pathos, such as when he talks to elderly citizens of Irish as well as German heritage, patchy ethos, he’s a congressman, also sturdy logos, by using his own experience.

The Scotch-Irish people were one of the numerous immigrants who looked for shelter and alleviation in America. The Scotch-Irish appeared in the mid-seventeenth century when the English government, on edge to dominate Ireland, removed Lowland Scots as pilgrims to the province of Ulster in northern Ireland. For around a century the Scotch-Irish squeezed out a living in Ireland, yet in the early piece of the eighteenth century their monetary condition endured a progression of grievous inversions. As a result, a flood of maybe five thousand Scotch-Irish moved to America in 1717. Before the end of the eighteenth century, four more influxes of Scotch-Irish withdrew Ireland for America and a few hundred thousand Ulstermen settled in about each area of the English provinces. Pleased, Presbyterian, and eager, the Scotch-Irish significantly influenced the districts they possessed. They were a beautiful gathering of individuals who made our national character.

Today, the United States of America is analogous with the terms freedom, liberty and prosperity. Throughout its existence, the nation has come to represent a unique melting pot of ideals, races, and cultures, which have recurrently exhibited the perspectives of freedom and equality in regards to not only daily livelihood, but also free trade. Although the United States continues to stand as an immense representation of hope and prominence in reference to opportunity, it is almost impossible to ignore the dark aspects of its history. For a nation that was founded by the ideals of assuring freedom for those who arrived at its shores and ports, a majority of the early stages of American history were flooded with an immense amount of prejudice

The writings of Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson provide examples that address the essential question ‘What makes American literature American?”. During the Founding Fathers time period, American literature was based on logic, unifying as a nation and the Founding Fathers beliefs that the nation should be independent from England. In Patrick Henry’s “Speech to the Virginia Convention” he explains to the delegates why America needs a militia to protect themselves against Britain. The ending of Henry’s speech was very emotional because he compares the rich white delegates of being slaves under King Henry. Henry makes a bold statement of his feelings by saying, “I know not what others may take, but as for me give me liberty, or give me death!”(107).

Over time, the United States of America has experienced many national transformations and hardships that have led to the cultivation of a more modern society. From the mid nineteenth century through the early twentieth, the United States of America underwent a period of modern development and expansion that was entirely unprecedented. This pattern of growth and change has drastically altered the cultural landscape of this country, and even though a hundred years is not an extremely large portion of America’s timeline, within this century the United States of America came to dominate its modern hemisphere in a way that can still be observed to this day. The period 1830 through 1920 within the United States of America was a period of tremendous

In Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, Dee Brown delivers the reader with a Native American history of the west. Providing the narrative with historical accounts and primary sources, Brown offers a unique view into the past. Brown’s book offers several fascinating accounts of Native American culture during the nineteenth century. The reader should analyze the aspects offered by Brown to understand how the author’s book provides a unique history of the Native American West.

Many countries have patriotic songs, sung and known throughout the country. Today, sang at patriotic and sporting events, the “Star-Spangled Banner” is officially the United States of America’s national anthem. Francis Scott Key wrote the original poem in the 19th century, and “his words told of an exciting sea battle. They also celebrated a great military upset on land, one that filled all Americans with pride” (Sonneborn 20). Many factors helped influence and inspire the writing of the song. The “Star-Spangled Banner” is a powerful anthem for the United States because of the inspiration of one battle, one man, and one flag.

“But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation” (Martin Luther King Junior). In Martin Luther King Junior’s “I Have a Dream” speech, he declared that although America had treated him and other African-Americans unfairly, he refused to see the country as beyond the point of restoration. King had an underlying faith in his homeland that was steadfast. Similar to King’s outlook on his country, Claude McKay, the poet behind “America,” chose to keep his faith in his homeland in the midst of his struggles. Despite all of the hardships in his life, he remained optimistic. Through McKay’s poem, “America,” he conveys

This quote brings about an interesting topic, American Literature and the significant changes throughout history encouraged many people to create change in literature. The literary arts became a powerful tool in communicating different worldviews and the integrating of historical moments in time. This movement created a unique blending of different races to integrate through literary arts causing many cultures to unite internationally. Literature encouraged intellectual American’s to be a part of the change in their communities. For many people, this movement triggered an internal need for social and cultural change. America became a force in historical literature and a superior artistic form that was produced in books and other writings.