What Does It Mean To Be An American Essay

Many people have different definitions of what it means to be an American. Americans are brave, welcoming, and some may even be considered judgemental. In America everyone is welcomed with the right to express themselves and the same equality as everyone else. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and that’s what makes America so diverse. Not everyone has equal opportunities and that’s what makes being an American so special. Many Americans don’t even realize how blessed they are to live in a place as fortunate as we do. The question of what it is to be an American still lingers around and the best way to put it is that an American is a free and welcoming presence.

The main factor that stands out in the word America is the fact that

Everyone knows that Americas is free and that we have the right to say, do, and believe what we want. No one really focuses on how judgemental a certain situation can get. America is a very diverse country and that is why not everyone will accept and understand certain actions. In your eyes you could be making the best decision but to someone else you may be making the worst mistake of your life. It shouldn 't matter what others think about you but it can start to eat away at a person after a while. The fact that you will be judged on every little detail may cause you to rethink if being an american is all it 's said to be. In the poem “ America “ by Claude McKay she says “I love this cultured hell that tests my youth! Her vigor flows like tides into my blood, Giving me strength erect against her hate.” (p14) This quote is a prime example of how being an American is bittersweet. She is saying that although being an American is challenging it 's well worth it so she stands tall and overrides the hate. The odds that come with being an American will never compare to how great it is to actually be one. When people come from different countries they tend to be more thankful than the American citizens