Paper 3: American Dream 100 Points
Readings: All assigned readings from the New World Reader
Bharati Mukherjee “American Dreamer” 2-2
Mehdi Hasan “Why I would Never Hate America” 3-2
Ellie Wiesel “The America I Love” 3-3
Alkman Granitas “Americans are Tuning out the World” 3-4
Sasha Abramsky “Waking up from the American Dream” 3-5
The stories in this section from the Reader highlight pro and anti-
Americanism amongst immigrants.
Compose an essay in which you compare and contrast these sentiments
and provide reasons why certain people love and hate America at the
same time. Keep these questions in mind while composing your essay.
What is the American Dream? Does it still exist or is it a mirage? Has it
changed from the past? Refer to some policies, laws or facts about
American culture that draw people to America but have also drawn people
against America at the same time.
You can connect to any story in this section through quotes and examples
(at least two quotes and one paraphrase from three different stories)
and make sure you cite the stories in the text and add a works cited page
in MLA (see in course resources).
Please remember that this is a comparison and contrast essay and your
main focus should be to show points for both sides, make a case, back it
up with evidence both from the readings and outside, using rhetorical
appeals to persuade your audience. There should also be a purpose, a
central point or lesson that you want to get across to your readers made
clear in the thesis. Also, make sure your essay conforms to the following
rules that apply to comparative writing and adheres to the respective due
dates.
Paper length: 4-5 pages, typed, double-spaced in Times New Roman
with name, class, section and paper number on upper left-hand side.
Should also have a title in the center.
Peer revision: For each essay paper, starting with this one you will be
required to submit a first draft for peer revision and will receive a draft to
revise (based on the peer review guidelines folder). These need to be
turned in a separate drop box called reviewed papers. Based on the review
that you receive you will write and submit a second draft to me in a second
draft drop box and finally after I revise and give my feedback you will
submit a final paper. Each draft carries separate points, so make sure you
adhere to the requirements. Those who don’t submit a peer draft will not
be given a paper to review and will miss 20 points from the total.
