What is an American? The question is not that simple as it appears. For years the settlers in the New World have struggled to evolve into a new nation, the Americans. In the early seventeenth century, a massive number of people from Europe migrated to the newly discovered land of America.
They framed a system of democratic government based on principles entirely different from those existed in European aristocracies. General equality of conditions was the basis of the new political philosophy. Perfect freedom and liberty was assured to all irrespective of race or origin.
The present American society is a strange blend of different nationalities with different origins, race, culture, religious beliefs and traditions. These people have adopted certain new traditions while living in the American society. The traits they share are different from those shared by people in France or England. Their social set-up is based not on family or race but more on common monetary interests.
They are materialistic to the extreme. Their norms are self-contradictory and detached from ancient traditions. They have a classless society upholding the theory of ‘equality of conditions’, where everyone has access to everything i.e., money or power. They have no room for old age traditions or their historical background, norms or culture rather they have created a pseudo-culture of their own with materialism and individualism as its basis.
The French statesman and political writer, Alexis de Tocqueville, in 1832, wrote his most famous book, “Democracy in America” that focuses the American social and political system and its influences on the habits and manner of the people. Though the book was written back in early 19th century and geo-political set up and conditions are altogether changed today, but his views and description of that time seems unaltered and true even now.
The Term Paper on American Political Hofstadter Tradition History
WORKS of philosophy can last for millennia, novels for centuries. Works of history, if they " re really good, survive maybe a generation. But Richard Hofstadter's The American Political Tradition: And the Men Who Made It is now celebrating its fiftieth year in print and remains a solid backlist seller. High school students, undergraduates, and graduate students read it, as do lay readers. ...
After a very close observation of the American history, sociology and political system, de Tocqueville derived his views and conclusions about the psyche of the American nation. He commented that in all spheres of culture; family life, law, arts, philosophy, and dress, Americans were tending to stress the ordinary and easily accessible, rather than the unique and complex. “As keys to America’s success and character, Tocqueville cites three traits. Americans love money. They are driven by many intense contradictions. And they are always and forever on the move” (Noemie).
Americans are restless and lack consistency. It’s difficult to make an accurate assessment of the behavior of an American. The Americans start building houses but sell it off before the roof is on. They adopt profession and leave it soon. They never settle for long at one place and keep on changing their habitat.
Americans are mainly driven by a craze for money. In a culture where there is no distinction by class or titles, money is the only thing that makes any difference. Everything in an American’s life is associated with the fortunes he possess. Trask comments, “Americans easily assumed that spiritual satisfaction would automatically accompany material success” (213).
They go to amazingly unbelievable extents in their passion and zeal for riches and materialist thing. Every thing is weighed in money. Human values are rarely visible. De Tocqueville claims, “…I know of no other country where love of money has such a grip on men’s hearts or where stronger scorn is expressed for the theory of permanent equality of property” (Democracy in America).
In view of the two different observations made by the writers, one can say that the American behavior as a nation is not uniform but diverse. One can also assess their behavior being subject to conditions and all they do is focused on goal of self-interest. Nothing in their conduct is permanent or longer lasting. On the other hand if an American gets an idea into his head, it is really hard and difficult to take it out even if it is incorrect or awkward.
The Essay on Meaning of the American Dream in the Great Gatsby
The novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, portrays a story about a man's attempt to fulfill his American dream. Jimmy Gatz starts off in life poor and eventually finds himself hopelessly in love with a woman he thinks he cannot have because of his low social status and his lack of money. Early on in life, he boldly sets out to achieve a picture-perfect life of wealth and love. Jimmy ...
Americans are distinguished by their strange habit and unusual style of dressing of which they take pride and considered is as exceptionally “American”. F. Scott Fitzgerald in his celebrated novel “The Great Gatsby” describes this very aspect of being American while describing the central character Gatsby who tries to impress his beloved by “shirts with stripes and scrolls and plaids in coral and apple green and lavender and faint orange” (97).
A true American could thus be defined in light of the abovementioned features of American people. An American is described as a restless and inconsistent person who takes his entire life span wondering ‘what to do’? Americans are highly flexible and adaptable to adopt anything ‘new’, unlike the British and French who take years thinking about accepting any novel idea.
Although there is a great deal of equality and parity found in the American society, a typical American is far away from traditional norms of being caring about people in his surroundings. There is a general tendency of being egocentric and self-seeking among the Americans to which they proudly refer as “American attitude”. Above all, the most important American characteristic is being consistent and loyal to all the unreasonable traits they hold.
Works Cited
De Tocqueville. Democracy in America. Accessed August 18, 2008 http://www.tocqueville.org/chap5.htm
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Simon and Schuster Inc., New York: 1991.
Noemie, Emery. Restless Virtue. (Book review).
Accessed August 18, 2008 http://www.findarticles.com/m1282/22_52/67004538/p1/article.jhtml
Trask, David F. “The End of the American Dream,” Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby: The Novel, The Critics, The Background. Ed. Henry D. Piper. Charles Schribner’s Sons, New York: 1970
