The Importance Of Being American By Adolfo Angelino

The author’s purpose for writing this book is to have the audience understand what being an American really means. To be an American is not synonymous to the stereotypical white family with a picket-fence. To be an American is to simply identify yourself with the United States; to call America your home. Most Americans are originally from all around the word with different experiences and cultures, but they came to the new world to start a new life. Unfortunately, we seem to forget that fact and judge those who come here to do the same that thing our ancestors did many years ago. Adolfo Angelino is a good example of this prejudice from the book. He is the manager of the small apartment building many struggling Americans call home. Adolfo has been treated like many new Americans; told to go back to where he came from, wherever that may be, but he says, “If people want to tell me to go home, I just turn to them and smile politely and say, ‘I’m already there’” (Henríquez 146).

“How American you are” shouldn’t be based on skin color or social class. Adolfo loves this country and considers it home, like every other American. Him and many others deserve the freedom and safety America can provide in honor of their bravery for taking the risk in making America their home. Some Americans should not be penalized for not being the same as other Americans because we are really all the same. We are all people and as long as you live in America and take pride in where you came from and where you are going, you are an