French aristocrat, J. Hector St. John Crèvecoeur, through this passage from his collection of essays, Letters from an American Farmer, constructs the definition of an American through the emphasis of America’s superiority to Europe, in the way that the country fosters growth and opportunity. Crèvecoeur’s purpose is to define Americans as the way he interprets them and their lifestyles. He adopts a nationalistic and convincing tone in order to depict the quality of life in America, in comparison to that of Europe, to the other European aristocrats and elite. This is done in connection with his strong invocation of feelings and emotions to further support his claim. Crèvecoeur commences his essay through the numerous uses of rhetorical …show more content…
In Europe, the people were “as so many useless plants”(17-18). They did not have a function or a purpose to society in Europe. Therefore, they were cast aside, given little acknowledgement. Through another description, the people were “withered and were mowed down by want, hunger, and war” (19-20). However, as the people migrated to America, they began to prosper. America was then able to provide the environment for these people to “[take] root and [flourish]” (22). The lifestyle adopted by the immigrants was one that they could have only dreamed of in Europe, which adds to the element of eminence held by America. America provided occupations, land for farming, and freedoms. These conditions added to the newly created sense of nationalism, which proved to be “the great chain which [linked them] all” (38). Along with enhancing the nationalistic tone, each of the metaphors included were able to appeal to the emotions and feelings of the intended audience. By showing how prosperous and successful the once peasants of Europe were becoming, Crèvecoeur created the desire to be a part of American society, a representation of the pathos appeal. Finally, the metaphors developed by Crèvecoeur provided essential connections to the overall tone and to the rest of the
Americans throughout history often pride themselves on the unique and insular nature of their culture. Acting as if their New World is entirely free from influence by the Old World. In her book, Becoming Americans in Europe, Blower provides specific instances that seemingly contradicts that view. The thesis in Blower’s book is that Paris was a large factor in how Americans crafted their national identity. Interwoven with that thesis Blower also promotes an idea of a cycle of Americans influencing Parisians and Parisians therefore reacting differently to Americans forcing them to change.
“In this great American Asylum” Crèvecoeur’s diction reflects his opinions with the first words. Using the words great and asylum to describe America revels the author’s feelings. “Can a wretch who wanders about, who works and starves, can that man call England or any other kingdom his country?” Crevecoeur’s commiseration is displayed towards, “the poor of Europe.” Having an undertone of disgust, the reader sees wretch and can tell how Crevecoeur looks upon England, “A country that had no bread for him, who met [him] with nothing but frowns of the rich, [he] owned not a single foot of surface.” However, the main view focuses on, “the poor of England” and why America is where they ventured. Crevecoeur’s language is fascinating, “Everything is
Tocqueville (rather bizarrely in retrospect) conceived of America as having “an almost complete equality of conditions”. While in respect to the French alone, Tocqueville argues, “the taste and the idea of freedom began to exist and to be developed only at the time when social conditions were tending to equality and as a consequence of that very equality.” Tocqueville draws the first stirrings of equality to the “political power of the clergy,” which upon being consolidated began to spread and upon its ranks to “all classes, to rich and poor, commoner, and noble.” Thus “through the Church, equality penetrates into the government, and he who as a serf must have vegetated in perpetual bondage could, as a priest, take his place in the midst of nobles, and would often sit above kings.” Tocqueville continues to trace the ascent of equality and descent of aristocracy to the financial demise of kings “ruining themselves by their great enterprises; the nobles exhausting their resources by private wars, [while] the lower orders enriching themselves by commerce”. And with the advent and spread of education, the “value attached to high birth declines just as fast as new avenues to power are
In his essay titled, “The Transformation of European Society”, Gary Nash argues how seventeenth and eighteenth century United States (U.S.) witnessed the birth of a distinct “democratic personality”. This personality had numerous effects on American society. Mr. Nash believed a society having democratic personalities exhibited the following qualities: individualization, competitiveness, and opportunity. Many factors led up to the creation of each of these traits. Americans wanted their own, distinct life, where they were not told how to act and what to think. Unfortunately, this was idealistic thinking. Reality was that they were swaying from the original goal of working towards the better of community, the Puritan way. Through the traits mentioned above in many ways could help society, they constantly went against it also. For example, many businesses, even parts of the government, were accused of being corrupt, and performing illegal acts in order to get ahead. U.S citizens were given so many options in life, many learned they could do better than what they were born to. The immense amount of land in the West led to many of these options. The land was cheap and unoccupied, meaning that it was relatively easy to gain success and achieve a higher social standing through the land. This was followed by the mindset of the “me” personality in much of American history. This also led to how competitiveness became ingrained into daily rational and overall life. A multitude of people were motivated to achieve more and become the vision of success that was driving their fellow man. Many of their visions were of owning land, and of being able to live a comfortable lifestyle. As Nash states, “living in a place where the ratio of people to ...
Additionally, many foreigners sought America to be a very superior and prosperous
Expansive growth was the moniker which expressly defined the Gilded Age. Industry in all sectors, witnessed massive growth leading to the creation of an American economy. Due to the rapidly changing nature of industrialization important men of both the public and private sectors attempted to institute their own controls over it. However this transforming landscape integrated both economic and political changes, but also cultural and social interactions. In turn, those who controlled the flow of business would also steadily impact the American social scene by extension. Alan Trachtenberg, professor of American studies at Yale and author of The Incorporation of America, argues that the system of incorporation unhinged the idea of national identity that all American’s had previously shared. As a result incorporation became the catalyst for the great debate about what it meant to actually be American, and who was capable of labeling themselves as such. Throughout his work Trachtenberg consistently tackles the ideas of cultural identity and how those ideas struggled against one another to be the supreme definition of Americanism. This work not only brings to life the issue of identity but it attempts to synthesize various scholarly works into a cohesive work on the Gilded Age and demonstrates that concepts developed during the incorporation of the time period have formed the basis for the American cultural, economic, and political superstructure. The Incorporation of America sets a high standard for itself one in which it doesn’t necessarily meet; however the work is still expansive and masterful at describing the arguments of the Gilded Age.
Crèvecoeur depicts Americans as though they are a new race or sub-set of people formed from European descent. He mentions, “they are a mixture of English, Scotch, Irish, French, Dutch, Germans and Swedes. From this promiscuous breed, that race now called Americans have arisen” (310-311). Although the American character is founded on liberty, industry, independence, and happiness, Crèvecoeur mentions how extraordinary the diversity is among Americans. Although many Americans came from different customs, traditions, and governments, Crèvecoeur suggests their ability to unite on relatively new ideologies distinguishes them as a nation. Also, adopting the customs of America and rendering an individual's previous traditions, seems to be the product of the high-risk, high-hope behavior distinctive to Americans. He defines, “he is an American, who, leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new rank he holds” (312). Incorporating new doctrines, governments, and hierarchies the American character develops with the growth of the nation. This becomes exclusive to American identity because it is relatively new as is the American nation and culture. While Americans are unified by similar ideas, and those ideas
...ution, a thriving American economy as well as dreams of escaping famine and oppression led immigrants to America. To the eyes of an endangered family that waits everyday to escape the pangs of hunger, America was a better life, and an almost unreachable goal. To the families that persevered, a new life may have awaited them; but for others, America may have held only poverty and hard labor. Interestingly, this is what the industrialized dream of America granted: chance; not a guarantee, nor even an opportunity in the strictest sense; just a chance. Through the Industrial Revolutions, more jobs were created; with the addition of more jobs, hopeful foreigners could immigrate. With the presence of multiple, well-defined cultural groups America began to diversify, continuing her expansion and paving the way for more people who only held a dream for an opportunity.
Michel-Guillaume-Jean de Crevecoeur was a French born citizen who moved to New York and became a naturalized citizen of Great Britain. After living in America as a citizen for a while, Crevecoeur decided to write an essay titled “Letters from an American Farmer”. During this time, tensions in America between the colonists and loyalists were increasing, and because of this the idea of America as a sovereign nation and territory was becoming popular. Crevecoeur wrote this essay in order to discuss what it means to be an American, and why people should be honored to be called an American. Crevecoeur believes that America is a melting pot of the world, and is full of opportunities for anyone who lives there. In order to back up his claim, Crevecoeur uses rhetorical devices, especially pathos, while he does also use ethos and logos as well.
Thus, here in the new land, they view as useful, not as in their home where they were viewed as useless. This tells us that to be an American is to look for one’s happiness. Here they have the opportunity to grow. In this new land, they learn to grow and become better than yesterday. As Crevecoeur states, “The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles; he must therefore, entertain new ideas, and form new opinions” (Crevecoeur 290).
José Martí’s “Our America” is socio-political critique that aims to unite the American people and invoke a sense of nationalism that has been lost during the imperialistic time period in the late nineteenth century. The only way that the America people can stand up to these large imperializing nations is by creating a cultural bond and increasing the pride they have in their native traditions. In the America that Martí is describing, there is an increasing rejection of national culture and traditions among the youngest generation. The young people are “ashamed of the mother that reared them” and the “country that nourishes them” (1). Martí deplores their ungrateful attitudes toward the country that has given them everything they have needed in life.
During the eighteenth century, America had transformed from a simple homestead into an ornate country. Within the bustling empire, the wealthy were able to live lavish lifestyle that inspired the idea of the “American Dream.” The “American Dream” was a common belief that the poorest person in the United States could achieve success. With the circulation of this ideal there was a boom of immigration within America. People from all over the world traveled to America with the belief that they would be guaranteed freedom, safety, and prosperity. Unfortunately for many, The “American Dream” was an elusive lifestyle that was a complete contradiction to the realties that existed within the country. Life in America was harsh. There was little opportunity for advancement for most people, especially the lower class workers. Unemployment was steadily rising and working conditions were best described as atrocious.
America is often known as the land of opportunity, a place where you can be free. Many Immigrants came to America so that they could have a greater possibility at succeeding in life. Immigrants took a leap of faith when coming to America, for some it worked out well but for others they had a difficult time here. Despite the struggles that the immigrants encountered such as; standing out from others, being separated from their families, and breaking their culture, the immigrants are still grateful to be in America because they were in better conditions than they were in their home land. When viewing interviews or looking at an immigrant’s perspective you get many responses to being in America, some major things that stood out were the amount of freedom the immigrant had, and the age of the immigrant. These two things had a huge impact on the opinion of America from an Immigrants point of view.
When a survey was put forth one of the more popular reasons for wanting to come to America was to seek out a better life for themselves, their children and for work. America seems to have had the better if not most opportunities for a better life. This can go back to as far as Ellis Island. People tried to come from places like Europe and Asia to the Americas to seek out a new beginning with their children and families.
What is an American these ideas are fully expressed from the start as Crevecoeur states, “a modern society offers itself to his contemplation, different from what had hitherto seen.” (605), thus showing that America is a new land never seen before that is worthy of contemplation and admiration. This belief shows the idea of a better place free of old European social divides and stratification and the promise of a better place. Crevecoeur further expands on this going as far as to call America an asylum, a true place of recovery and safety, for European immigrants and their descendants. These early ideas bring forth the foundation for modern beliefs of moral superiority and thus the right for the United States to encourage and push their own ideals upon others. This supremacy is explicitly expressed by the author as seen in, “we are the most perfect society now existing in the world.” (Crevecoeur 606), and displays “James” view that America is indeed better than other cultures and should be treated as such. It is important to note however that the idea of moral superiority does not only come from a utopia of ideas and freedom, but effort, hope, and the ability to push forward in the face of