American Dream
Two authors expressed their feelings, doubts, and predictions about the current state of the American people in the 19th century in independently written essays. They further strove to show what they believed the essential American citizen should become to better his country, his family, and himself. These authors were Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Through their life experiences they formed opinions about how America had triumphed and what the individual could do in his lifetime.Emerson said that Americans are “a people too busy to give to letters any more”. He believed that these democratic people needed to slow down and get back to their roots. “Society acquires new arts, and loses old instincts. For everything that is given, something is taken.” Emerson gave an example of this in a comparison of a “thinking American” and a “naked New Zealander”. The white person may have sundry possessions that are “better” than the native, but what of his health. The aborigine has greater strength, and bette
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Emerson Americans, Thoreau American, Emerson Thoreaus, Thoreau Americans, , David Thoreau, essential american, move forward, bring peace, social wave, emerson believed,
Approximate Word count = 685
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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