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Model Final Exam answers 2018 Web Highlights Index to Sample Web Highlights |
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Kristin Mizell
Peer Perspectives on “The Dream”
vs. “The American Dream”
Through reading the course selections on
African American minority literature, the topic that stood out to me was the
concept of “The Dream.” So often we mention “The American Dream” as a
representation of what we think is great about America, but as I have learned
through my studies people in this country are not awarded equal opportunities
and therefore the pursuit of this dream is not possible for everyone. As stated
in a model assignment from the midterm in 2008 by VO titled “Topic 3 African
American Literature: ‘The American Dream and The Dream,” “The American Dream is
[only] attainable for immigrants and individuals of the dominant culture.” I
will be analyzing that essay along with the CH’s essay “Why
the American Dream Overshadows the Dream” and CaL’s essay “The Dreams Today and
Yesterday” in order to broaden my understanding of “The Dream” and its relation
to “The American Dream.”
In
the “Topic Three…” essay, VO argues that “The American Dream” is “The American
Nightmare” for some. VO defines “The American Nightmare” as forcing “groups to
involuntarily participate in labor for a future that is not ‘better’ or is
unachievable for minorities, thus preventing them from desiring to leave behind
or escaping their hardships because they are living in them.” CH also touches on
this “involuntary participation” and uses Olaudah Equiano as an example, “As
we read the story of Olaudah Equiano and his sister being taken captive by the
slave traders we are provided with the extreme differences that have existed
between the Dominant culture and the Minority Culture. Whereas the dominant
culture wanted to come to America in search of the American Dream, the minority
was forced against its will to come to America.” CaL also speaks on Equiano’s
experience and focuses on the trip through the Middle Passage and compares it
with the immigrant story of Breadwinners,
“A comparison of Breadwinners Max
Goldstein’s, arrival on American soil to that of Olaudah Equiano crystallizes
the difference between the Immigrant entries into the US with that of a slave…
The Africans who survived the crossing were parceled out for testing and then
sent to shore. He spent his first night in a cage with people who did not
speak his language.” I have not read
Bread Givers, but CaL makes a great observation about the difference between
Equiano and Max’s arrival in America, “Max carried a parcel while Equiano was a
parcel.” I thought that was a stunning statement that really encapsulated the
difference between the immigrant story and that of slaves.
All three of these essays included
significant references to Martin Luther King Jr. This of course makes sense
because of his “I Have A Dream” speech, but they were all able to work this into
their essay and really helped define “The Dream.” CH explains that Dr. King
“makes reference to the fact that the same freedoms the dominant culture has
been endowed with are not the same freedoms the African American has been
endowed with.” CaL emphasized how Dr. King took the idea of “The American Dream”
but modified it, “With the articulation of a great orator, he stirred the hearts
of those who were hungry for something of their own to reach for.”
VO in particular focused on the “one day” aspect of “The
Dream,” “ The Dream is that One Day setbacks will be overcome and that minority
cultures will rise again with dignity and unity.” VO goes on to say “Where as
the American Dream focus on immediate individual success, the Dream includes to
inevitability of set backs and the inclusion of groups in the accomplishment of
success.” This is a great point and really drove home the difference in the two
“dreams.”
These three essays also analyze
The Bluest Eye in order to show the
minority perspective on “The American Dream.” CH writes that “The American
Dream” “doesn’t respect the minority or its contributions [and] it doesn’t even
consider them human as was seen in the story of The Bluest Eyes, when
Pecola goes into the store to purchase some candy ‘He does not see her, because
for him there is nothing to see.’ “ CH uses the white, immigrant store owner not
seeing the young black girl as a way to demonstrate “The American Dream” not
seeing minorities. This was a compelling interpretation. CaL uses
The Bluest Eye and makes a comparison
to The Emancipation Proclamation, “ She begins with simple and complete
sentences, easily understood as the American Dream-world of a first grade
reader. The story loses clarity when she removes the punctuation and then
becomes unrecognizable when spaces between the words disappear. It becomes less
than words on a piece of paper, unintelligible, meaningless… like the words in
the Emancipation Proclamation.” I understood CaL’s point without having read
The Bluest Eye, which really speaks
to the clarity of his essay. VO’s
essay ends with, “The Dream is present for the minority families in this novel
in that they factor in setbacks, continue to rise, and attempt to maintain the
dignity of their family or group as best they can.” This was a great point and a
strong end to the essay.
Through reading these three essays I
have broadened my understanding of “The American Dream” vs. “The Dream.” It
speaks well of these essays that I had not read all of the cited material and
yet I was able to understand their arguments and came away having learned more
about this concept. I appreciated the addition of historical documents in these
essays in order to help define “The Dream” like The Emancipation Proclamation,
The Declaration of Independence, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a
Dream” speech. Overall these essays were well written and I appreciated them for
having contributed to my learning.
