Strength Of American Spirit
According to Merriam-Webster, to be an American is to be “a person born, raised, or living in the United States. This is the simple meaning, but there is a much deeper definition and connotation associated with being an American. There are common characteristics of the American spirit, both positive and negative. These general aspects of American spirit can be seen every day. Richard Blanco exhibits the American spirit and Americans’ strength, diversity, and contempt in the inaugural poem “One Today”.
One of the most perceptible characteristics of the American spirit is their strength. Evidence of Americans’ toughness is shown in every building, street, home, and person. Despite the many struggles America has faced, including terrorism, war,
and even infighting, the country has prevailed and continues to grow each day. Citizens are gradually working to a peaceful and equal nation where people can live in harmony. This characteristic can be seen in “One Today” when Blanco writes, “the last floor on the Freedom Tower/jutting into a sky that yields to our resilience.” (lines 52-53). The quote alludes to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and shows that, even though America has faced tragedies, it keeps trudging through life and growing with every step. Even the sky above cannot hold back the power of Americans’ resilience.
America’s diversity is another characteristic that is apparent with one glance at the nation. The American “melting pot”, or more accurately “salad bowl”, is a place where people of all religions, heritages, cultures, and race can live. Many people, differing in both individual characters and backgrounds, can live in America without worry of being prosecuted for their beliefs. As Blanco states in “One Today”, “Hear: the doors we open/for each other all day, saying: hello | shalom,/buon giorno
| howdy | namaste | or buenos días” (lines 41-43). This restatement, using ways to greet others in different languages, includes all people. These lines exemplify the vast variety of dissimilar people, all living in the same nation. People of any background and vernacular can live in the land of the free.
Though America has many favorable characteristics, it also has its negative aspects. It is a pervasive human trait to look down upon and judge others. While there are caring, gracious people in the nation, there are also those who look to others with a contemptuous hatred so deep that that the victims of their scorn can feel it. Some of these disdainful people act on their negative feelings and hurt others for reasons that cannot be comprehended by anyone else. An example of a virulent action is shown in “One Today” when Blanco writes, “or the impossible vocabulary of sorrow that won’t explain/the empty desks of twenty children marked absent/ today, and forever.” (lines 20-22). This quote alludes to the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, appealing to people’s emotions, and showing the intense hatred and illness that lead to violent acts. Though it is not usually as intense as in cases that cause violent acts, contempt is another word that can be applied to America.
The themes shown in “One Today” by Richard Blanco encompass the American spirit. Blanco includes themes of the hard-working characteristics of Americans, the resilience even in terrible times, and the unity of America. The American spirit has proven to be all of these characteristics: strong, diverse, and contemptuous. There are negative and positive traits of the American spirit, illustrated in the patriotic, inaugural poem “One Today”.
One of the most perceptible characteristics of the American spirit is their strength. Evidence of Americans’ toughness is shown in every building, street, home, and person. Despite the many struggles America has faced, including terrorism, war,
and even infighting, the country has prevailed and continues to grow each day. Citizens are gradually working to a peaceful and equal nation where people can live in harmony. This characteristic can be seen in “One Today” when Blanco writes, “the last floor on the Freedom Tower/jutting into a sky that yields to our resilience.” (lines 52-53). The quote alludes to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and shows that, even though America has faced tragedies, it keeps trudging through life and growing with every step. Even the sky above cannot hold back the power of Americans’ resilience.
America’s diversity is another characteristic that is apparent with one glance at the nation. The American “melting pot”, or more accurately “salad bowl”, is a place where people of all religions, heritages, cultures, and race can live. Many people, differing in both individual characters and backgrounds, can live in America without worry of being prosecuted for their beliefs. As Blanco states in “One Today”, “Hear: the doors we open/for each other all day, saying: hello | shalom,/buon giorno
| howdy | namaste | or buenos días” (lines 41-43). This restatement, using ways to greet others in different languages, includes all people. These lines exemplify the vast variety of dissimilar people, all living in the same nation. People of any background and vernacular can live in the land of the free.
Though America has many favorable characteristics, it also has its negative aspects. It is a pervasive human trait to look down upon and judge others. While there are caring, gracious people in the nation, there are also those who look to others with a contemptuous hatred so deep that that the victims of their scorn can feel it. Some of these disdainful people act on their negative feelings and hurt others for reasons that cannot be comprehended by anyone else. An example of a virulent action is shown in “One Today” when Blanco writes, “or the impossible vocabulary of sorrow that won’t explain/the empty desks of twenty children marked absent/ today, and forever.” (lines 20-22). This quote alludes to the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, appealing to people’s emotions, and showing the intense hatred and illness that lead to violent acts. Though it is not usually as intense as in cases that cause violent acts, contempt is another word that can be applied to America.
The themes shown in “One Today” by Richard Blanco encompass the American spirit. Blanco includes themes of the hard-working characteristics of Americans, the resilience even in terrible times, and the unity of America. The American spirit has proven to be all of these characteristics: strong, diverse, and contemptuous. There are negative and positive traits of the American spirit, illustrated in the patriotic, inaugural poem “One Today”.