Ben as the Epitome of the American Dream

Ben Franklin's autobiography is not quite one of the most gripping novels I've ever read in my 18 years but it does exemplify a lot of what it means to be American. His dedication to improve himself and go from rags-to-riches is one of the elements people think of when they think of the American Dream. He was the youngest son in a large family that was not quite prominent in society, as shown by the fact all the sons started work at young ages. He writes (endlessly, it seems) about his experiences in school and work, mentioning how he was when he started out and how he applied himself to become better than those in his field, portraying him as a youth with a strong work ethic. He is careful throughout the book to describe how he became successful through skills and hard work - basically creating the legend of the American Dream.

Pocahontas

Here's an excerpt from the Pocahontas paper Erik & I worked on together:

Pocahontas is an important figure in American culture, yet since little is actually known about her. Her story seems to be more of a fairy tale than actual proven history. Several perceptions have been created throughout the ages, strengthened with pop culture, poetic literature, and art such as the statue here at Gravesend. 

What we know about Pocahontas is based on the accounts of other people, such as John Smith, John Rolfe, and other settlers. She was eleven years old when she saved John Smith, who was twenty-eight. Pocahontas was captured and held hostage in Jamestown, where she was then converted to Christianity and baptized as Rebecca. John Rolfe gained the permission of Powhatan and the governor, Sir Thomas Dale, to marry her in April 1614. The union brought peace with the Native Americans for eight years. With her husband and several other Native Americans, Pocahontas went to England in 1616. There she was received as a princess and presented to the king and queen. In 1617, she took ill and died at Gravesend, where she was buried. There are no documents from Pocahontas herself. Even the accounts Rolfe and Smith have written of her are portrayals....

The Gravesend Pocahontas holds her beauteous head high. Her skin is an earthy bronze brown. She is one in a long line of Pocahontases. At the beginning was the real girl. Then comes her portrayal in historical documents, and the engraving as a fine English lady. A new, “noble savage” Pocahontas emerges from the wilderness and gets frozen in bronze at Jamestown. She is exotic and sexy. At Gravesend, she steps onto a pedestal and becomes a larger than life mother goddess. The Gravesend statue resembles Fig. 5 (a painting of Isis) in many ways. Both are idealized and perfected presentations. Draperies that emphasize breasts flow into nature. Both are ideas embodied as a figure more than a realistic portrayal of a person. That is the crucial point in the evolution of Pocahontas: she has gone from a flesh and blood human to an immortal icon of the feminine.

saving the small shops

The discussion in class today about buying locally vs. buying imported goods reminds me of something my aunt told me. She lives in a small town in Wisconsin and one day when we were talking about the recession and how we don't like shopping at Wal-Mart because it's so bad for our economy, she told me her personal resolution is to avoid shopping at all the huge chains, and instead try to spend her money at the smaller, local businesses near her home. She told me that if she spends at least $50 a month at her favorite local store, it could be saved from going out of business. I feel that if the majority of people shopped only at the local, family-owned businesses in America it could really save us from the predicament we're in. However, I don't know much about Econ and all the details of capitalism, etc etc... so maybe this isn't such a great idea as I think it is. Feel free to comment and discuss with me if you know more about it than I do or have a different opinion!

Room Inventory

This is what I managed to bring all the way from Maryland and fit in half of a dorm room:

school books
reading books
clothes
photos
toiletries
linens
pens, pencils
paper
notebooks
desk organizers
food
bed
desk
dresser
fridge
dishes
shoes
lamps
electronics
seating (chairs)
bags/suitcases
DVDs
hair dryer
hair straightener
nail polish
medicine
laundry detergent
dryer sheets
swiffer duster
windex
hats
scarves
mittens
make-up

The American Dream

Upon reading Cullen's The American Dream last night, I realized how true Foner's description of freedom is. It is something "constantly created and recreated," it "embodies not a single idea, but a complex of values," it is the "oldest of cliches and the most modern of aspirations." It "binds the culture together and exposes the contradictions between what America claims to be and what it actually is." Cullen's description stays pretty true to these notions, pointing out that every American is proud to say they are free to pursue life, liberty, and happiness, yet every American's definition of these things is different. Every bank teller, every professional athlete, every doctor are all working toward the American Dream. Yet the things they do every day to achieve that dream are completely different. It seems fitting to me that this is so - America is considered the cultural melting pot, and it makes sense that in one country with a billion different people, there's one word with a billion different connotations.

The Free People are also Free Thinkers

One of the greatest freedoms that is present in the 21^st century is the freedom to an education. This science textbook represents the freedom we have to an education, the freedom to learn about modern and unconventional concepts, the freedom to further advance technology and cure diseases. Our government pays for the public school systems throughout all 50 states, and financial aid opportunities are there for secondary schooling. People from all over the world come to the United States for better education. The law requires that children attend school from the ages of 5-8 to 14-18 (depending on the state). This right to education makes our country unique and our people extremely fortunate. This freedom verifies that we have the right to think for ourselves, while other countries that lack this excellent education system may not. It proves that the free people of the 21^st century are also free thinkers; that our government does not limit our learning, but instead enhances and encourages our education.