Introduction
Media has a lot to say about the persuasive ethos of the American Dream - if you work hard enough, you will be successful - by how it treats the symbol of a perfect life in the suburbs and success.
ETHOS (noun): Sociology. the fundamental character or spirit of a culture; the underlying sentiment that informs the beliefs, customs, or practices of a group or society; dominant assumptions of a people or period:In the Greek ethos the individual was highly valued.
Task
Your task is to study a few key pieces of media and answer these questions:
1. What does the media say about the American Dream?
2. How do you define the American Dream?
3. What is your American Dream?
In order to do this, you will watch nine movie trailers dealing with the American Dream. After watching each trailer, write down your thoughts about what the selection seems to imply about the American Dream. See the example below.
Example #1: "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath, 1963
Plath's heroine steps off a train and has this infernal experience: "The motherly breath of the suburbs enfolded me. It smelt of lawn sprinklers and station wagons and dogs and babies. A summer calm laid its soothing hand over everything, like death."
Notes/Thoughts:
Your responses should follow this pattern to show analysis:
Based on "like death" from the text, the American dream seems negative because the main character feels smothered by the suburbs, something usually considered key to the American Dream.
Process
Watch the following movie trailers and record your responses in your journals.
Example #2: Revolutionary Road, 2012 - [video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qADM67ZgYxM]
Notes/Thoughts:
Example #3: The Blind Side, 2009 - [video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I24d30buecw]
Notes/Thoughts:
Example #4: Mona Lisa Smile, 2003 - [video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y07Znu8rGP0]
Notes/Thoughts:
Example #5: The Pursuit of Happyness, 2006 - [video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYg7RRYKWGw]
Notes/Thoughts:
Example #6: Forrest Gump, 1994 - [video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPIEn0M8su0]
Notes/Thoughts:
Example #7: My Big Fat Greek Wedding, 2002 - [video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZmrMJmAfF0]
Notes/Thoughts:
Example #8: 42, 2013 - [video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9RHqdZDCF0]
Notes/Thoughts:
Example #9: Maid in Manhattan, 2002 - [video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhtAyshwDFk]
Notes/Thoughts:
Example #10: , It Could Happen to You, 1994 - [video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i38ZM4nu7jc]
Notes/Thoughts:
Example #11: Your Example: ____________________________________
Notes/Thoughts:
Evaluation
Now that you have watched and recorded your thoughts on the trailers (and hopefully came up with an example of your own), you will need to analyze the results.
1. What does the media say about the American Dream?
2. How do you define the American Dream?
3. What is your American Dream?
Once you have answered these questions, write an essay incorporating your responses. Begin your essay with your answer to question #1. You will need to craft a thesis statement and support it with multiple examples. In separate paragraphs answer questions #2-3.
Conclusion
Your essay will count as a test grade. Make sure to proofread carefully! Your paper must be typed (Times New Roman, 12pt, black ink, double spaced). You will need to turn in a hard copy to me and a digital copy to Turnitin.com. Late papers will be marked down a letter grade.