Amy Noblitt

Poetry Reading-6/1/06

“American Dream: First Report”

Joseph Papaleo

I.                   Sarcasm is found in Papaleo’s 2^nd stanza. 

a.     He asks how the immigrants went from real problems and suffering to being “devoted to the disinfection of our carpets?”

b.    The sarcasm shows a resistance to assimilation into the clean culture, which is a side effect of the American Dream.

II.                The 1^st stanza is the voice of the 1^st generation. 

III.             The 2^nd stanza is the voice of the 3^rd generation.  The reference to “Grandpa” is our major clue.  The 3^rd generation is completely assimilated into the American “clean culture.”

Questions:

1.     How is this similar to “Soap and Water”? 

2.     Would you say that this poem qualifies as an Immigrant Narrative?  Why or why not?