Students Will Read Three Texts Written By Various Ame 818249

Students Will Read Three Texts Written By Various American Authors Al

Students will read three texts written by various American authors. Along with these texts, students will write personal entries so as to reflect upon the American Dream and what it means to different people. In addition, students will define their own American Dreams and explore possible obstacles and adjustments they might need to make. Assignment: Read Two Kinds, The House on Mango Street and "I Have a Dream" and complete the Reading Activities handouts. Then write short journal entries and complete a final expository essay.

Paper For Above instruction

The assignment requires students to engage deeply with three significant texts by American authors: "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan, "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros, and the "I Have a Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Students are expected to analyze these works through reading activities, reflection journal entries, and a final expository essay that explores the concept of the American Dream from multiple perspectives.

The core of this assignment is to foster a comprehensive understanding of the American Dream as it is represented in diverse voices within American literature and speeches. "Two Kinds" deals with themes of parental expectations, identity, and the pursuit of success within the context of Chinese-American culture, which engages students in exploring how cultural backgrounds influence visions of the American Dream. "The House on Mango Street" examines themes of socioeconomic struggles, identity, and aspirations within a Latino community, providing a narrative that highlights both hopes and obstacles faced by marginalized groups. Meanwhile, Dr. King’s "I Have a Dream" speech is a foundational text that portrays the American Dream in the context of racial equality and justice, inspiring students to consider the ideals of freedom and fairness integral to this dream.

Students are to complete the prescribed reading activities for each text, which should include identifying key themes, examining character development and narrative perspectives, and analyzing ideological messages. After these activities, students will reflect on their personal understanding of the American Dream through journal entries. These entries will serve as a space for students to articulate their own visions of success, defining what the American Dream means to them personally, and considering the obstacles they perceive or have faced along the way. Additionally, students will explore how societal challenges may require adjustments or resilience, mirroring the struggles depicted in the texts.

The culminating task is an expository essay, offering students an opportunity to synthesize their insights from the texts and personal reflections. The essay should articulate a nuanced understanding of what the American Dream represents, how it differs among various cultural and socio-economic groups, and how individual aspirations are shaped or challenged by societal realities. Students should incorporate specific references and quotations from the three texts to support their analysis and demonstrate engagement with the source material.

This assignment not only aims to enhance literary analysis skills and critical thinking but also encourages personal growth and cultural awareness. It challenges students to consider diverse perspectives on a central theme woven into the fabric of American history and society, fostering a more comprehensive understanding of the complexities underlying the American Dream.

References

• King, M. L. (1963). I Have a Dream. Speech presented during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute.
• Cisneros, S. (1984). The House on Mango Street. Arte Público Press.
• Tan, A. (1989). Two Kinds. In The Joy Luck Club. Penguin Books.
• Schlesinger, A. M. (1998). The Disuniting of America: Reflections on Power, Culture, and Change. Vintage Books.
• Hochschild, J. L. (1995). Facing Up to the American Dream: Race, Class, and the Soul of the Nation. Princeton University Press.
• Hilfer, P. (2012). Literature and the American Dream: A Critical Perspective. Routledge.
• Wilentz, S. (2010). The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Lopez, I. H. (2006). The Weaponization of the American Dream. American Quarterly, 58(4), 875-888.
• Gordon-Reed, A. (2010). The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Newman, S. (2018). Culture and Identity in American Literature. Cambridge University Press.