Do Now Define the American Dream What does

Do Now: • Define the American Dream? What does it mean to you? Think about your American Dream, if you could do anything, be anyone, and have anything you desired, what would these things be?

The American Dream An Introduction

Suite Madame Blue Wife or prominent female figure Sweet Suite Homophones Color A woman who runs a brothel Homonyms Symbol

What is America being personified Personified: Giving human as in this song? Wife or prominent female figure qualities to A woman something non who runs a human brothel • What is your evidence?

What is the tone of the song? • TONE: Attitude of the author—how does the author feel about the subject? I wait I’m a fool long ago I long for the past

What is America being personified as in this song? Wife or prominent female figure A woman who runs a brothel • What is your evidence? • Write a 5 -7 sentence paragraph drawing a conclusion and defending your response with at least one SPECIFIC example from the song.

Personification Review Choose five of the following ideas to personify in your own way. You should have a minimum of five sentences when you are done. Trees Leaves River Ocean Stars Flame Car Chair Cup Paper Computer Chainsaw Campfire Sun Clouds Pluto (planet) Example: Regular, boring sentence: The train whistle blew in the night. Personified sentence: The lonely train whistle cried out in the night.

Choose your BEST sentence to share with the class • Be sure you can explain HOW it is personification… – What is the human quality you attributed to the object?

Identify Opinions • Given the tone and personification, how does the artist feel about current America?

Phillis Wheatley • First African American in the United States to publish a book of poetry published. • Published in England first • Document had to be signed by men who had examined and found her to be worthy and “smart enough” to be a poet.

“To His Excellency, General George Washington” • Ode to George Washington. • America is personified as the goddess Columbia. – female counterpart of Christopher Columbus (District of Columbia, Columbia pictures, Columbia records etc. ) • Often depicted holding a liberty pole, propping up a shield of the United States, standing beside a bust or depiction of George Washington, or offering food to a bald eagle.

Personifying America Author Background Tone Main idea Styx Wheatley

Theme • Broad idea or message that is conveyed by a work. • What is one theme that we have already looked at?

Phyllis Wheatley: 1753 -1784 Styx: 1970’s-1980’s You: 1990’s-2000’s

How would you personify America? Positive • Queen/Princess • Well respected ts r e b celebrity Ro a i l u J : • Soldier c i f i c e p S • Mother/Father/ Caregiver Negative • Drunk n • Gambler a h o L y a s • Not respected d n i L : c i celebrity if c e S • p. Hacker • Thief

Exit Slip: • Consider the historical reasons for immigrants to flock to America. Is the American Dream the same as it was a hundred years ago? If not, how has it changed? What parts of the dream remain the same?