Homework Assignment #2: American Dream Attainable or No?

Jacqulyn Dubidad                                                                                           January 9, 2014

AP English                                                                                                      Period 3

            Before you can answer whether the American Dream is attainable, you must figure out what the American Dream means to you. To some the American Dream means to be rich and successful, to other it means to own a house and have a nice family. The American Dream used to be a reachable goal such as owning a home, however over the years that has seemed to not be enough as Americans we want more and more. I asked my friend what the American Dream means to her she answered by saying, “Having so much money that even after I spend it, it feels like I have not spent a dime. I never want to feel like I do not have the latest brand anymore. I want a house and maybe a pool...” Then I asked her when coming from Jamaica what was her American Dream she said, “Having a better life with more opportunities’.” Living in America it has shaped our views of the American Dream not only do we all want a better life but now we want more than just a “better life.” Before this whole lesson about the “American Dream” I thought that personally if I was to reach the American Dream I would have a beautiful house, a nice car, a beautiful family, and a great paying job, the latest technology and more. At first I believed that the American Dream was an attainable goal once I set my mind to it, however the American Dream seems to be nothing but a dream. I think the American Dream has went from being realistic to just an ordinary fantasy, we want too much and once we get to a certain goal that we may set for ourselves we determine that it is still not enough. Just because I believe the American Dream isn’t real anymore that does not mean that I believe certain goals can’t be reached, it all comes back to how broad your goal is. Americans want so much and do not have the money to pay for it, all they depend on is their dreams if you do not work for your goal that why are you wasting your time dreaming?

Homework Assignment #1: Kamp

Jacqulyn Dubidad                                                                                           January 8, 2014

AP English                                                                                                      Period  3

                                                            The Way We Were

            The term “American Dream” can be interpreted in numerous ways some people say that reaching the American Dream is to be the next Bill Gates or having a mansion, two dogs, a pool, or even a building with their names on it. However in the article The Way We Were by David Kamp proves that the American Dream has changed over the years from being a reachable goal to being nothing but a dream. Kamp   begins the article by proving his credibility with providing an anecdote, he tells a little story about how as a child growing up he did not want to end up the same place he was now, he wanted his life to improve and go forward however it turns out that instead of taking one step forward he took three steps back. By using the anecdote we as the readers understand that he too faces the same struggles we as “Americans” are facing and the readers will trust him on what he has to say. Throughout the article he proves that the American Dream has altered we got the term “American Dream” from the Declaration of Independence where the, “upper classes to put the common man on an equal footing with them where human rights and self-governance were concerned..”. Although somehow we changed the “Dream” we made it unrealistic and that is why many people have not made it anywhere in their lifetime. Kamp said, “What needs to change is our expectation of what the dream promises- and our understanding of what that vague and promiscuously used term “American Dream,” is really supposed to mean. We are so focused on the materialistic things in the world that instead of focusing on the important things we waste our time on spending money we don’t have. By proving this point Kamp makes several references to different people and states what they have accomplished for example when he uses Obama, he states that many Americans would love to be president and even set that as their goal but realistically they will not be because that’s not really a reachable goal. Kamp states that, “Home ownership was the fundamental goal, but, depending on who was doing the dreaming, the package might also include car ownership, television ownership….and the intent to send one’s kids to college.” The “American Dream” was supposed to be one broad idea but over the years we have added so many “details” into that one broad idea that the “American Dream,” is no longer attainable to some and seems to be deteriorating.           

Metacognitive Piece

Dear Ms. Brannon

                   

            I know that I am far from being the best writer and far from being the student you brag about. However, I know that I am trying and I have proved that I am trying through my essays and my homework assignments. Beginning your class was hard for me, its not easy coming to a class where it seems as if all your effort and progress doesn't matter. In my previous English classes I was excelling and receiving 90s and above, but once I stepped foot in  your class I realized that I am not getting those grades anymore. At first I wanted to give up, but I wanted to prove to myself that I belong in this class that is why I believe that I deserve a 85 average.

            I know that I have put in a great amount of effort and you can see that through my homework assignments. I am always present to your class, and I know that my friends and I talk a lot in your class (don’t take it personal we are always talking) but that hasn't stopped me from getting my work done. I have handed in all my homework,  my essays and I always take responsibility for my own actions. Just so you know, it is not easy coming to a class where it feels as if your  opinion doesn't matter. I know I have not reached the point in my writing where I write at a college level or interpreting the assignment as a college student. However, many times I may interpret something wrong, or that may seem wrong to you but correct to me but its my opinion. I understand that you have to correct me but the way you do it sometimes seems as if you are judging me. I know you mean well, but that is why I tend to keep my answers to myself and hardly participate.

            Also, sometimes when I feel that I am taking one step closer I end up taking two steps back. I know that’s how it goes sometimes and I am working on it. My efforts are there and I am proving that I deserve to take this class everyday. I put a lot of time into this class, sometimes I would only do your homework and  fall asleep after 1o’clock. I think, no I know I deserve a 85 due to all my hard work.

Martin Luther King Jr. Analysis

Jacqulyn Dubidad

Ms. Brannon

AP English

12 September 2013                                                                            

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        King Jr.’s Speech       

The civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a speech years after the Emancipation Proclamation was passed on August 28, 1963 to an audience of many races. Whether you were white, black, a reporter, or even the president this speech was intended for everyone. This speech was told to acknowledge the unfair treatments that African Americans had endure during this time period. All great leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. himself knew that when writing a speech you would have to engage the crowd as well as persuade them that what you are saying is true, “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon of light of hope to millions of Negro slaves…” (King). In the Emancipation Proclamation it proclaimed that those enslaved with now be forever free, and it also made slavery illegal in the United States. He uses metaphor to make his point about how the emancipation had given the African American a sense of hope that something might change. King also has automatic credibility due to the fact that he is an civil rights movement leader, in other words he automatically gains the trust of the crowd.

Martin Luther King Jr. uses emotion to connect to his audience in a more personal level, one way he uses emotion is by bringing his children into the situation and explains that he is a father facing the same struggles, “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content by their character.” (King). Once an audience member hears this they will notice the confidence in his tone helping them gain a feeling of hope that something better will come not only to King’s children but to all families. By using this quote the other black families would have an understanding to what he is saying due to the fact that they are too feeling the same pain for the children while the white families would feel sympathy due to the fact that he mentioned children and they know how precious children are. Being able to show them that they all have the same shared values that shows them that they should not only see him as a political man but as a friend who wants a change for them all.

Also by repetitively repeating “I have a dream..” known as an anaphora or parallelism, without King even saying how important each of those lines were they would automatically know due to the repetition and engage themselves more into what he is saying.  Martin Luther King Jr. shows reasoning through proving these points that blacks are still being treated unfairly, “But one hundred years later the Negro still is not free…the life of a Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination” (King). This allows the listeners to see the reasons behind his claim, in this argument he believes that although we are supposed to be free and equal it is not so, blacks are living in discrimination because of the color on their skin.

King showed his credibility making it easier for the audience to believe that they have a reason to listen than believe that this is a man who may be wasting their time. He also showed them that they have the same shared values so they are on the same page. King was able to “trigger” some of the audiences emotional side making it easier for him to develop a relationship type of level with them. Then comes logic, which helps the audience understand his reasons behind every point he makes. Using these rhetorical choices Martin Luther King Jr. was able to connect to his audience in more then just a “politician and voters” type of a relationship however more like a friend talking amongst other friends.

Scarlet Letter

Jacqulyn Dubidad

Ms. Brannon

Advanced Placement Language and Composition

11 January 2014

                                                Criticism to the Puritan Belief

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a satire that criticizes the beliefs of the Puritans. Hawthorne wrote this satire as a way of attacking the Puritans’ belief and to show how hypocritical they can be in certain situations through the use of rhetorical devices. Hawthorne had not just stated that the Puritans were being hypocritical but he instead showed signs of it throughout his writing.

Hester the protagonist in the satire was currently being punished for committing adultery as her punishment she had to wear an “A” which was a symbol of the sin she had committed. Hawthorne first used imagery to prove that there was hypocrisy through the beliefs of the Puritans. When Hester had to go to the Governors house to plea that they would continue to let her keep Pearl, Hawthorne had described the house as being, “the brilliancy that might have befitted Aladdin’s palace, rather than the mansion of a grave old Puritan ruler…” (pg 87-88). Puritans believed that they should live a humble and simple life, but yet the Governor is living in a house that favors Aladdin’s palace. Hawthorne used “Aladdin’s palace” to compare to the Governors’ house due to the fact that Aladdin is well known and everyone knows how rich Aladdin is. Another example of imagery is, “Hester looked, by way of humoring the child; and she saw that, owing to the peculiar effect of this convex mirror, the scarlet letter was represented in exaggerated and gigantic proportions…” (pg 90). The exaggerated “A” in the governors house was to show that the Governor along with the rest of the other Puritans exaggerate Hester’s sin to be something bigger then it truly has to be. Nobody looks down at the Governor for having so many nice things, but yet they look down upon Hester who has confessed to a sin she had committed. Hawthorne used imagery to show the hypocritical views behind the Puritan belief.

In this satire Hawthorne used a optimistic tone in order to prove that the beliefs of the Puritans were hypocritical. It states that, “So speaking she undid the clasp that fastened the scarlet letter…she took of the formal cap that confined her hair…her sex, her youth, and the whole richness of her beauty, came back…forth burst the sunshine..” (pg 177-178). Earlier in the satire the sun would run away from Hester every time she would try to touch it, it would move in the opposite direction. That was to show that God had not wanted anything to do with her due to the sin she committed. However, Hawthorne used this quote to criticize their beliefs because the sunshine is God’s gift to the world, and it did not want to shine on Hester once she was wearing the “A” but once she had taken it off the sun came back out. This shows criticism because the Puritans punished Hester for something she has done by setting her as an outcast from the society, when God the “controller” of the sun still shines his light on her without being judgmental. Another quote that has shown an frivolous tone is, “God knows, and he is merciful!” (pg 226). Hawthorne used this quote repetitively to show that it has no meaning at all. They say God is merciful but they continue to punish Hester for a sin that she openly confessed to.  Hawthorne used different tones to prove his attitude or position on where he stands when it comes to the Puritans’ belief.

Hawthorne used irony in The Scarlet Letter to show how hypocritical the Puritans were. The Puritans looked down upon sin once you committed a sin you were seen as an outsider.  Even after you have confessed, the people in the society still treat you as if you are the “black man” himself. The Puritans barely believe in forgiveness but they worship a man who does, once Dimmesdale knew that he was dying he confessed to be the man who slept with Hester and although he was a respectable priest he said that that he did not mean to deceive them. It states that, “According to these highly respectable witnesses, the minister conscious that he was dying…had made the manner of his death a parable in order to impress on his admires the mighty and mournful lesson, that, in the view of Infinite Purity, we are all sinners alike” (pg 229). The Puritans especially the highly priest understood the true meaning behind Dimmesdale’s confession yet they cover it up due to the fact that Dimmesdale was a respectable priest and they try to keep up his reputation, but the Puritans are suppose to value honesty and go against sin so why lie. Another point that Hawthorne is trying to prove is that if the whole point was to prove that everyone is all sinners alike, why make a mockery out of Hester? Hawthorne uses irony to shine a light on the hypocrisy in the Puritans’ belief.

Hawthorne wrote a satire to expose and criticize the beliefs of the Puritans, through various uses of rhetorical devices. Hawthorne used imagery, tone, and irony to prove the hypocrisy of the way the Puritans live their lives. Hawthorne obviously does not like nor favor the Puritans and how they choose to be hypocritical over certain situations. He wrote The Scarlet Letter as a way to make a parody out of their beliefs. 

Letter of Protest

Dear Faculty of CPEHS,

We can all agree that the main priority of high school students is to get into college. We have to decide which college to attend, how far we would like to travel, and which scholarships to pursue. Throughout our four years of attending high school the only thing we continue to hear is the word “college.” It has gotten to the point where it is no longer something we would like to get into but instead something that we must get into. The most important question we continue to hear is, “Which college would you like to attend?”  However I have a question of my own, is it really up to us whether we get into the school of our choice? Yes, a huge part of whether we get into the college is our grades and our SAT scores, but what about our extra curricular activities? As a fellow student attending Central Park East High School I understand the requirements of graduating and what we need to do to be accepted into college. Although I do not understand why our fellow students, including myself, are limited to the programs and sports that Central Park East under the ruling of Principal Bennett provide for us. Then in the end, it is up to us to feel the guilt and shame once we receive the rejection letter.

            We are constantly reminded that although colleges like to see impressive transcripts, it is our extra curricular activities that aid them in making their final decision. They continue to pressure us everyday about joining all these programs, however do not offer any programs (at least of interest). What about the students who can not play the  certain sports that Central Park East High School offers? Why don’t they offer other sport programs that other students may be interested in and actually know how to play? Are we suppose to sit on the sidelines and let these students take our rightful place at the top schools? No, I refuse to. My fellow classmates we should not be limited to the extra curricular activities that the school provides us with, we should have many more options to choose from. Is it our fault that we are not athletes or that we do not like the programs that the school has provided to us? Or is it your fault, Bennett, that we do not have any more opportunities?

            One of our fellow students Briannie Santiago created a petition for flag football and she was able to get 600 signatures from fellow students who also wanted this sport in our school. Students of Central Park East High School, is there a flag football team in our school? No. The reason for this is because Bennett had said that there wasn't enough money to have a flag football team in our school. Yet she was told that all she had to do was get her petition signed and the rest would be taken care of the following year. This is another example of how our “needs” are not being met by the school board. Take a look at our transcripts now, and think about what colleges will think. When you send in your application you can not also send in a little note explaining why you have nothing to put in the section “extracurricular activities”, they only see what is there . It is left to them to either throw it out or look into it. How lucky will we be?

I am aware that creating more programs and sports can be difficult due to our school’s low budget, having no where to play, as well as no coaches to prep us.  However, we should not let that stop us what if we as the student body have a fundraiser where we can have a bake sale, or create a talent show where people would have to pay a small fee to get in as well as for food. Also Central Park East High School can join schools together with Park East, Heritage, and other neighboring schools. so that the budget wouldn’t be so low. We can also play in Central Park, or at Randall’s Island where there is an vast amount of space. As well as have teachers from our school and other schools who would be willing to teach high schools how to play a sport or create a program that we the students would like to join.