Thursday, October 28, 2010

De Crevecouer- letters from an American farmer

‘‘Here he sees the industry of his native country displayed in a new manner, and traces in their works the embrios of all the arts, sciences, and ingenuity which flourish in Europe. Here he beholds fair cities, substantial villages, extensive fields, an immense country filled with decent houses, good good roads, orchards, meadows, and bridges, where an hundred years ago all was wild, woody and uncultivated!’’

This quote from letters from an American farmer paints America as a beautiful landscape that Europe doesn’t have because Europe is more concerned with science and art. The way it is put suggests the American landscape is superior. The overall quote suggests that America in general was a better place to be than England because he talks about the roads being ‘good good’ and the country filled with ‘decent houses’, but he only mentions the arts and sciences, not how good they are.



The website I have chosen is an article by Jeff Sychterz. He says that the vast range of opportunities available to anyone and everyone, which is the foundation of the American culture, is related to the American landscape. ‘‘Something about the vastness of the American landscape fuels this notion of endless opportunities and wide-open possibilities’’ This quote from the website carries on the vision of an exceptional landscape, and the this quote
‘‘in America always seems to offer us something better than what we have’’ carries on the vision that it is better than the rest of the world.

‘‘European immigrants looked to New York’s Ellis Island’’ This quote suggests Europeans even agreed that America was a better place, because why would you look to another country if you thought your own country was already good as it was?

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