Representing America - American Literature AP - Blog

My American Dream

My american dream

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My American Dream

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A Five Step Plan to My American Dream

An american dream

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Maryann's Dream

Maryann

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John's Dream

My Dream

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Maja's Dream

Maja

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Alicia's American Dream

My American Dream on Prezi

My American Dream

My american dream!

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Megan's American Dream

Megan my american dream

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Nate's American Dream

American Dream on Prezi

Alexa's American Dream

Alexa's American Dream on Prezi

Leslie's "Creative" American Dream

I have a crazy imagination. It helps me to be creative in the long run. Most of my ideas are quite random but those ideas have been around me during my childhood years. Who knows, one day it might change. But until then, here is my American Dream

American Dream on Prezi

P.S-  This is my first time using Prezi.

Audrey's American Dream

Audrey

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Camille's American Dream

My american dream

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Carleigh's American (Or Should I Say British) Dream

My American (or shall I say British) Dream on Prezi

Johnny's American Dream

My American Dream on Prezi

 

Erin McIntosh's American Dream

My American Dream on Prezi

Lephate Cunningham III's American Dream

My American Dream on Prezi

Lauren's American Dream

Lauren's American Dream

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My American Dream

American dream project

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The American Dream of Jack

The Dream of Jack Badger on Prezi

The American Dream

Julian

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My American Dream

American Dream on Prezi

The Frederick Douglass Story

I find this video to be very informative. Even though we've just got through reading about Frederick Douglass, they're probably still a few questions you have in mind that you want to be answered. This 20 minute documentary tells the story of Frederick Douglass and how he fought for his freedom.

 

Individuality Is Greater Than "Fitting In"

Being an individual is easy to want, but hard to attain. Teens nowadays only want to fit in, not to stand out. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines individuality as total character peculiar to and distinguishing an individual from others. Being an individual is described as being yourself. Not many people want to have that feeling. They want to feel normal, just like everybody else. Individuality is a wonderful thing, though, that can only be accomplished by loving yourself. 

There's room for everybody on the planet to be creative and conscious if you are your own person. If you're trying to be like somebody else, then there isn't.' That quote was said by Tori Amos and it is so true. There's no room on this earth for imitators. When everybody wears the same clothes, has the same hairstyle, talks about the same things, and has the same beliefs, all the kids in the school hallway just blend together into one blob of boredom and dullness. That is why individuality is so important. No one wants to live a totally predictable life. 

No one who hates themselves will be a true individual. If you dislike yourself, why on earth would you want others to dislike you for being different? Someone who loves themselves and embraces their flaws will achieve being an individual. If you are confident about yourself, you can feel comfortable standing out. You can glow from within, as if saying to the world: Here I am! This is me, and I'm going to shine. You may not dress in popular clothes, you may not have the new iPhone, and you might be a huge geek that joined math club, but it's okay. You can be yourself without worrying about others. Who cares what they think? Most likely, they're jealous because they are not strong enough to be an individual. 

Flaws should be seen as a blessing, not a curse. They remind us that we are all human, and not being good at something gives others who are good at it a chance to shine. There will always be some people who don't care to be different; who just conform every time a trend changes. But you don't have to be one of those people. You can stand out, feel proud, and be a true individual. Be peculiar and distinguish yourself from others. And always remember this: "Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it is better to be absolutely ridiculous than to be absolutely boring." (Marilyn Monroe)

Me being the only child, I'm used to having that feeling of isolation and individuality. "Fitting In" with a crowd doesn't really make you look better as a person, but it shows how you can't accept who you are. Things that we do are meant to express, not to impress. If us humans go by that saying, society would be a place where individuality can be seen anywhere. 

The Loss of a Genius

With his black turtleneck, wire-rimmed glasses and conspiratorial grin, Steve Jobs was arguably the best ambassador ever between androids and humans.

When Jobs died Wednesday at 56 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, the world lost a valuable shuttle diplomat between computers and tablets and gadgets and animated robots, and the people who so desperately long to relate to them.

"We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away" Apple, the company Jobs co-founded, said in a brief statement. "Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve."

In memories, the Apple.com website featured a full-screen photo of Jobs — turtleneck, glasses and grin — and this quote: "Apple has lost a visionary and a creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple."

The tech world lost a leader. The creative world lost a soul mate. He is not gone. He will not be forgotten. His soul is in the machine.

 

Did Raven Symone Lose Weight For The Wrong Reasons?

While the media is just now noticing Raven Symone's weight loss, we've known the former Disney star shed a significant amount of weight since early 2011. Pictures of Raven Symone from the People's Choice Awards was the first time I seen Raven Symone with her new thinner look. However, while weight loss is nothing new for women who make a living in Hollywood, is it possible that raven dramatically changed her look for others rather than herself?

According to an interview Raven once had with PEOPLE's Magazine, Raven stated that she always felt comfortable at a bigger size, even though others didn't share the same sentiment. " I thought I looked fabulous before and nobody else did." she tells PEOPLE's Magazine. Now thinner, Raven says that her new body is causing unwanted attention, to the point of being uncomfortable. "I wear bigger clothes because I don't like the way people stare at me." She says. "I liked it before. Now you're just looking at me for the wrong reasons. Before, you were actually looking at me for a real reason."

Either way, the onetime That's So Raven star says she's breathing a sigh of relief over no longer having to deal with her show-the strain of which, she says, contributed to her weight gain. "That's what stress does to you" Raven says. "I've been not stressing. I've been in my own house, decorating and finding hobbies."

Here's Raven's interview from the Wendy Williams Show in which she talks about her weight loss and stress from her TV show:

  

Unlike most celebrities who lose weight, Raven Symone's reason for losing weight includes the pressure of society instead of the same old "exercise and eat healthy" regimen. I honestly believe that all celebrities lose weight due to the pressure of society but is afraid to admit it (like Jennifer Hudson for example). I think if more people share their thoughts and speak the truth like Raven Symone did, people wouldn't go over the line to get fit and have a "dream body" that most celebrities seem to have.

Teenage Transformation Stereotypes

Katy Perry has been a rising start for the past 2 years in the music industry. With her quirky style, and spunky personality nothing seems to get her down. Yet some may wonder where all her confidence comes from. After listening to one of her older songs "One of the boys," she strips down her outer persona to a more delicate side of her personality. The well known story of a girls transformation ranges from Cinderella to The Princess Diaries, and now is found again in Katy Perry's song. She starts the song saying:

"I saw a spider I didn't scream, cause I can belch the alphabet just double dog dare me, and I choose guitar over ballet, and I take these suckers down cause they get in my way."

As a tomboy she is fierce, and let's nothing stand in her way. Yet with all her "confidence" she is crippled by her lack of male attention.

"So in don't wanna be one of the boys, just give me a chance to prove to you tonight, I just wanna be one of the girls, and not one of the boys."

Her transformation takes her from an undesirable girl to a hot teenager. After that she seems to dedicate her life to the artificial world where girls who read seventeen can get a boyfriend. But why does she need to change herself to become pretty. Her song may seem to be empowering by breaking free of her old ways and taking on new challenges, yet she is still weakened by forcing all attention to her male counterparts. Even though Katy Perry seems to conquer the American stereotype of being a tomboy, she portraits many more by transforming her self to realize she is beautiful.

Lost: A Televised Representation of Modern American Ideologies

    There are many American ideologies portrayed in modern day television. And in the television show Lost it almost seems as if they cover all of them throughout the six seasons. Lost is a modern day drama television show about a group of strangers put into one place to work together as one.

    The first ideology Lost put emphasis on is Diversity. In America, diversity is very present, in race, economic status and more. Lost sheds light on this idea even more with their passengers. Racial diversity is obviously present in the first episode. All of the passengers are heading to America for a "new beginning", and they are all from different nationalities. But once the plane crashes on the island race is only but a small factor due to language barriers.

    Lost is presented to its viewers almost as an example of the American ideology that diversity is beneficial. Throughout the TV show there are flashbacks on each character showing where they are from. Through the flashbacks people's diversity in lifestyles, their different paths in life almost always benefits their knowledge of surviving. For example, a character named Jack is the leader of the survivors due to his medical background.

    This then flows into the ideology of "Community Over the Individual". Repeatedly in the show, whenever the community of the survivors is split into individuals, someone pays the price. Through these events in the show, the viewers are reminded of the importance of a sense of community.

    Through the bond made throughout the characters the second chance ideology os America also shines through. A character names Kate Austen is the perfect symbol for this ideology. She is a convicted felan on the run for murder, but once she becomes an important figure in a community that needs her she is given another chance. No matter how many mistakes you made in your life, the "American dream" is always in reach and that ideology was presented through Kate's character.

    Overall, Lost's characters each symbolize an American ideology and therefore convince people they are true or even possible. This television show reflects many positives of American culture through the relationships between the survivors.

The Ipad A.K.A the American Ideal

The Apple Corporation has always been coming out with the latest and greatest technologies as well as new and innovative commercials, more specifically the Ipad commercial. The commercial consist of a list of what ‘Ipad is” although what many of the words in the commercial are describing is not the Ipad but is the American Ideal.

One of the first word IPad (America) is described as is “current” after a picture of a newspaper is shown. The IPad being described as current shows that this is America and America is current we are what is happening in the world, which is one of the ideals of American culture.

Another word used to describe the Ipad is “artful” preceded by an image of a water color painting. America is an artful nation. The American ideal is also an educated artful person.  Americans like to tell and be told that America is an artistic and educated society. Although America is not always artful and educated the American ideal always is.

The Ipad, which is also the American ideal, is also described as “productive” followed by an image of gears on a document of some sort. America has always been portrayed as a nation of productive and industrious people, sort of paving the way for the rest of the world to fallow. Although America may be productive in a sense other countries such China and Japan are the serious producers of the modern worlds innovations.

The Ipad commercial, though at first glance maybe describing the Ipad, is truly describing the American Ideal a modern, educated and productive culture or citizen. Although not all of the descriptions may be true the commercial appeals to an American audience and paints a picture of what many people see America as.