How would you define the american dream

Reference no: EM133191755

Assignment

Reading: "Sea Oak"- George Saunders

Task

A. How would you define "The American Dream"?

B. The narrator works at Joysticks, a kind of Hooters for women where male waiters put their goods on display. The narrator and his extended family live at Sea Oak, a subsidized housing project, where there's no sea and no oak. How do these circumstances and settings reflect and/or challenge "The American Dream"?

C. Saunders gives fictional names to actions, places, and television shows; he capitalizes these labels. For instance, the narrator works as a "Pilot" at "Joysticks," where each shift begins with the manager announcing "Shirts Off"; Aunt Bernie works at "DrugTown"; Min and Jade watch TV shows with titles like "How My Child Died Violently." Why does Saunders capitalize these labels? By using these labels, what might Saunders be implying about American culture.

D. Min and Jade have a certain way of speaking to each other. How does the way Min and Jade speak differ from the way the narrator speaks, from the way Aunt Bernie speaks? Compare the way Aunt Bernie speaks at the beginning of the story to the way she speaks at the end of the story. What does the way these characters speak reveal about them and their circumstances?

E. How would you characterize Aunt Bernie's attitude at the beginning of the story? How would you characterize her attitude at the end? How does her attitude change? Why does her attitude change? What does this change of attitude have to say about "The American Dream"?

F. Are the main character's-the narrator, his sister Min, her baby Troy, their cousin Jade, and her baby Mac-circumstances better off at the end of the story than in the beginning? How might the main characters' circumstances have improved, stayed the same, or worsened? Do you think the group will move out of Sea Oak, as planned? Why or why not?

Reference no: EM133191755

Questions Cloud

Right to health and safety at work is basic human rights : The right to health and safety at work is part of basic human rights and should be a priority in the workforce for every government, organization, & corporation

What is the criteria for being jewish : REL 2300 Broward Community College. What is the criteria for being Jewish? What does it mean to be Jewish?

Discuss whether you think directors can properly decide : Discuss whether you think Directors can properly decide to pay themselves from corporate funds while still fulfilling their fiduciary duty to the corporation

Describe how employment laws affect you : Central Pennsylvania College - Describe how employment laws affect you as a self-employed worker. Describe how employment laws affect you as an employer

How would you define the american dream : How would you define The American Dream? What does the way these characters speak reveal about them and their circumstances?

Conservation or preservation of our environment : University of Arizona - The topic for the mini-paper is the conservation/preservation of our environment. Write a summary of the article and include your view

What the engineers said : It is always best to listen to everyone's point of view, then decide collectively what is the best plan - What the engineers said, they were not being listened

Create a twelve month addiction treatment plan for marge : Using the "SPP Treatment Plan Template, create a 12-month addiction treatment plan for Marge. Begin with her admission into residential treatment.

Top issue facing the canadian north : Why do you think this is the top issue facing the North? What are the related biophysical, socio-economic and political concerns?

User Account

All Pages