15. Racism and Group Superiority
This is a deviant theme，not central，but still widespread. This value takes its form in racial，religious，ethnic，and sexual discrimination.
P o s t -re ad in g Sp e akin g
Ⅰ. Grou p d iscu ssion
1. What national characteristics of the USA does the text reveal in the eyes of a European?
2. Are there any features of the USA mentioned in the author??s list that impress you?
Do you appreciate them or disappreciate them? Why?
3. Why does the author describe the USA as being “not always the best ” but “thinking big”?
4. Have you ever read the famous novel“The Grea t Gatsby” in which American attitude toward material prosperity can be well explained? Do you agree on the American??s attitude toward money? Why or Why not?
Ⅱ. Deba te: about th e amer ican dr eam
Divide the students into two opposing teams，defending and attacking the given
proposition.
What do you know about the American Dream? Do you admire its idea or not?
Some useful back ground knowledge:
The term“the American Dream”was first used by James Truslow Adams in his book Epic of America which was written in 1931. He states:
“The American Dream is tha t dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone，with oppor tunity for each a ccording to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret a dequately，a nd too ma ny of us ourselves have grown wea ry a nd mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars a nd high wa ges merely，but a dream of social order in which ea ch ma n a nd each woman sha ll be a ble to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable，and be recognized by others for what they are，regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position. ”
One can also find its foundation in the United States??Decla ra tion of Independence，which described the American founding fathers:
“. . . held cer tain truths to be self-evident，tha t all Men are created equal，that they are endowed by their Crea tor with cer tain unalienable Rights，that among these are life，Liber ty and the Pursuit of Ha ppiness. ”
The American Dream can be paraphrased as what Thomas Wolfe said:
“. . . to every man，regardless of his birth，his shining，golden opportunity . . . the right to live，to work，to be himself，and to become whatever thing his manhood and his vision ca n combine to make him. ”
Some say the American Dream has become the pursuit of material prosperity - that people work more hours to get bigger cars，fancier homes fruits of prosperity for their families - but have less time to enjoy their prosperity. Others say that the American Dream is beyond the grasp of the working poor who must work two jobs to insure theirfamily??s survival. Yet others look toward a new American Dream with less focus on financial gain and more emphasis on living a simple，fulfilling life.
Ⅲ. Some knowledge of th e USA
The United States flag today. The 50th star was added on July 4，1960 for Hawaii，which entered the Union on August 21,1959.
The US national anthem:
The Star -Spa ngled Banner
Oh，say can you see，by the dawn??s early light,What so proudly we hailed at the twilight??s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars，through the perilous fight,O??er the ramparts we watched，were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets??red glare，the bombs bursting in air,Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say，does that star -spangled banner yet wave O??er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore，dimly seen through the mists of the deep,Where the foe??s haughty host in dread silence reposes,What is that which the breeze，o??er the towering steep,As it fitfully blows，half conceals，half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning??s first beam,In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
??Tis the star -spangled banner ! O long may it wave O??er the land of the free and the home of the brave.And where is that band who so vauntingly swore That the havoc of war and the battle??s confusionA home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep??s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight，or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O??er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Oh! thus be it ever，when freemen shall stand Between their loved homes and the war??s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace，may the heaven-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must，when our cause it is just，And this be our motto:“In God is our trust. ”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O??er the land of the free and the home of the brave!