'Next To Of Course God America I' By E. Cummings

e. e. Cummings’ next to of course god america i deals with the irrationality of blind patriotism and the manipulation of people for certain goals. The poem is largely one long sentence, an individual giving a speech in regards to patriotism halfheartedly. The author asserts how patriotism is being used as an excuse to justify and carry out potentially heinous deeds without any repercussions. In the beginning of the poem Cummings portrays patriotism as it is usually seen by using typical songs and phrases. Later on however, his tone changes and he becomes satirical and dark. He mocks individuals who “[do] not stop to think [but] die instead.” The speaker shows how the negative aspects of war are being disregarded due to patriotism being used to manipulate people into accepting detrimental ideas and actions. In regards to patriotism, Cummings asks the question “then shall the voice of liberty be mute?” This inquiry ridicules the narrow-minded idea that who so ever contests the traditional idea of patriotism is un-American. Unlike America by Ginsberg which addresses its problems

Those foreboding shots released on the fields of Lexington and Concord on April nineteenth, 1775 meant the presentation of bona fide American opportunity. From this moment on, the debilitating outing of securing and extending adaptability to all began, an outing not yet wrapped up. Opportunity for the pilgrims was not won on the bleeding edge, nor was it gotten when ink stamped material; rather, the start of authentic adaptability for America began from a noteworthy move of characteristics and wishes significant inside the structure holding the framework together. The American Revolution, from 1775 to 1787, was not only a triumph of guns on the battle zone, moreover a triumph of social, fiscal, and political qualities, essential societal changes,

America, a country that could only be described as a quilt as it is made up of many different peoples. Sadly, equality and common respect is hard to come by in a nation full of different opinions, colors, and cultures. Through heart-wrenching pathos, Leutze’s painting Washington Crossing the Delaware and Quindlen’s The Quilt signifies that while America may seem on the verge of breaking at times it manages to succeed through the unification of it’s people.

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most well know symbols of the United States, across the world. For this reason I chose to analyze the dramatic effect it creates, and what methods it implores to invent this "universal" meaning. It is one of the strongest visual representations of the ideals which our country is founded upon. I intend to defend the argument that the Statue of Liberty posses the power of persuading human thought using the terms encompassed in Kenneth Burke's Pentad, shaping the definition of "America" for people through out the world.

Dave Helfert released an article after the Republican Debate regarding the issue that is silently and discreetly segregating our country as we know it. Helfert uses an appeal to Pathos by using examples from past Presidents in a few different era’s and while it may seem as if he is against President Obama or former President Bush he is merely stating that he wants all parties, Democrats and Republicans to work as one and solve the problems as a unit instead of truly being two separate entities He uses an appeal to Logos by exemplifying an extremely logical solution to what the United States has mightily struggled with over the last few decades. He also uses an appeal to Ethos by using very credible source information over a few paragraphs that clearly weed out the problems that he is attempting to bring into the light and help solve. Helfert is not against America’s decisions, he is against the fact that America is not making the decisions as one nation that is unified.

Abraham Lincoln once stated in his House Divided speech, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Lincoln believes that there is no such thing as a balance between free and slave states and that the two contradictory governments are bound to fall. That describes the conflict that occurs in the fictional novel, The Killer Angels, a civil war story between the Union and Confederate states fighting to achieve the government they yearn for.

Langston Hughes declares that America should be America again. He starts to say in the beginning, "America was never America to me." He says America should go back to being the dream that the dreamers had, and be a "great strong land of love." There should not be kings or tyrants or people being crushed by someone above them. The speaker repeats, "It never was America to me." Hughes wants his land to embody liberty - not just by wearing a false patriotic wreath on its head, but through pervasive opportunity and equality. The speaker claims that he has never experienced freedom or equality in

Do you think that it is important to learn about and accept other people? I believe that it can benefit us all if we did. I have a quote that I believe is a foundation for my views. “We as human beings, must be willing to accept people who are different from ourselves”, written by Barbara Jordan, is a quote that means people should be able to put aside their beliefs of one another. Two texts that I will be discussing: “American Flag Stands for Tolerance” and “Universal Declaration of Independence”, along with contents from the documentary “My So-Called Enemy” will be used to show you why it is important to accept others that our different from ourselves. We people need to try to understand that everybody has somethings that contrasts from the next person. No one always agrees with someone else, nor do we share same opinions, ideas, or likings, however those things that make us different are actually what makes us same.

Over the past few weeks of class, we have covered the first five chapters of our textbook, written by George Brown Tindell and David Emory Shi called, “America, A Narrative History.” Each chapter told the reader a narration of the history of America, as opposed to an expository version of America’s history. Each chapter had its own main idea over a portion of history, along with many details that cover the importance of the main idea. As a reader, one may obtain a deeper appreciation for the country 's history, prior to entering the class on the first day. The most important aspect of history, besides the battles that are fought, is the different cultures that make up today’s modern America.

– Let America be America again). The poems display images of hardship and frustration. They both speak of a difference within races and also what the life in America is different from the eyes of someone who isn’t white.

In the poem ,“America”, Claude McKay uses figurative language and diction to create a dark tone, a powerful empowering tone, and an optimistic tone. The theme of double consciousness of African-Americans is supported in the poem and the poem itself also connects to the purpose of the Harlem Renaissance which was to fight back racial hate and stereotypes with black empowerment.

The poem America by Claude McKay is on its surface a poem combining what America should be and what this country stands for, with what it actually is, and the attitude it projects amongst the people. Mckay uses the form of poetry to express how he, as a Jamaican immigrant, feels about America. He characterizes the bittersweet relationship between striving for the American dream, and being denied that dream due to racism. While the America we are meant to see is a beautiful land of opportunity, McKay see’s as an ugly, flawed, system that crushes the hopes and dreams of the African-American people.

Written in the first half of the 20th century, “Let America Be America” is a poem that documents and responds to the oppressed state of the United States, in both the past and present. The poem is a plea for a return to the original principles of freedom that our country has seemingly forgotten. Additionally, the speaker sees America as the broken home to oppressed people who have lost sight of the ultimate goal of freedom and happiness. Although America is often perceived as the “land of the free,” Langston Hughes’s poem contradicts this ideology by not only painting a vivid picture of oppression in America but also by providing a desperate hope for the future.

The concept of American national identity has been one of the founding structures that unifies the group of people that that call and consider themselves to be American. Since the “founders” of this nation settled in New England their patriotism has been celebrated. The legendary story of how the Puritan Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock seeking religious freedom is often taught to young children as a way to help them learn one of the key narratives in the formation of the nation. The story is even more glorified when linked to the greatly loved holiday of Thanksgiving, where the peaceful Pilgrims eat a peaceful meal with the friendly Indians. However, it is never told of how the friendly Indians were betrayed, used, degraded, and in many cases, defeated by the peaceful Pilgrims. During the 19th century, a time of Indian removal and other forms of structural oppression, William Apess addressed how that portion of history was neglected to be told and therefore took matters into his own hands to give the proper historical moment to Native Americans. The hidden and untold story of violence of the Pilgrims continues to this day.

Through the various primary sources, a theme of hypocrisy is introduced, revealing the constant contradiction of freedom in America during the 19th century. This theme is exemplified in “America”, a poem written by James Whitfield. The poem begins with the lines, “America, it is to thee, / Thou boasted land of liberty, - / It is to thee I raise my song, / Thou land of blood, and crime, and wrong” (Whitfield “America” 1- 4). Within the first four lines of the poem, Whitfield introduces the notion that America, albeit boasting of freedom, is truly a land of wrongdoing. This idea is further enhanced later in the poem, as it is mentioned, “Oh no; they fought, as they believed, / For the inherent rights of man; / But mark, how they have been deceived / By slavery’s accursed plan” (Whitfield “America” 37 -