The American Dream

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The American Dream

• What it is and how people live it

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DefinitionsAmerican Dream

• The American Dream is "that dream of a land in
  which life should be better and richer and fuller
  for everyone, with opportunity for each according
  to ability or achievement. James Truslow Adams

• to every man, regardless of his birth, his
  shining, golden opportunity .the right to live,
  to work, to be himself, and to become whatever
  thing his manhood and his vision can combine to
  make him. Thomas Wolfe

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• Some say that the American Dream has become the
  pursuit of material prosperity - that people work
  more hours to get bigger cars, fancier homes, the
  fruits of prosperity for their families - but
  have less time to enjoy their prosperity. Others
  say that the American Dream is beyond the grasp
  of the working poor who must work two jobs to
  insure their familys survival. Yet others look
  toward a new American Dream with less focus on
  financial gain and more emphasis on living a
  simple, fulfilling life (Library of Congress).

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Activity What is your American Dream?

• http//www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id
  120897

• In your writers notebook, define your American
  Dream. Is the dream about obtaining material
  riches? A good family? The ability to live your
  life fully on your own terms? Safety? Diversity?
• After defining the American Dream, write what you
  think you need to do to achieve it.

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American Dream Creation Myth

• Correlative
• Dreams of life can feed the myth
• Michelangelo's David
• Reaching for the divine
• Botticellis The Birth of Venus
• Beauty and order from chaos

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Creation Myths

• What they are and how to write them

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Definition of Creation Myth

• What it is
• Symbolic narrative of the creation and
  organization of the world as understood in a
  particular tradition
• May include latent power of the earth
• Earth may be offspring of primordial parents
• Egg
• Waters

• What it is not
• Always including a creator

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Religion vs. Myth

• Religion
• Beliefs that can be universal
• Contains moral codes
• System of worship
• Nature purpose of universe

• Myth
• Stories from particular culture or group
• Supernatural elements
• About cultures origin, history, ancestors,
  heroes
• Instructional inspirational without necessarily
  imparting a system of belief or moral codes

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ActivityCreate a Creation Myth

• In your writers notebook, design a creation myth
  around your American Dream.
• Poem
• Story
• Play/Skit
• Drawing
• Comic
• Song
• Illustrated story

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Works Cited

• Creation Myth. Brittanica Concise Encyclopedia.
  Web. 14 Aug. 2010. lthttp//www.britannica.com/EBch
  ecked/topic/142144/creation-mythgt.
• "Difference Between Religion and Mythology, The."
  Articles, Blogs and Information on Mythology.
  Myths-and-Mythology. Web. 14 Aug. 2010.
  lthttp//www.myths-and-mythology.com/gt.
• Learning Page, The. "What Is the American Dream?"
  Library of Congress. 19 Dec. 2002. Web. 14 Aug.
  2010. lthttp//memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/97/drea
  m/thedream.htmlgt.
• "Today's American Dream." Interview by New York
  Times. Teacher Tube. Khaughey, 12 Aug. 2009. Web.
  14 Aug. 2010. lthttp//www.teachertube.com/viewVide
  o.php?video_id120897gt.