What is A True American?
Are "Americans" portrayed as Europeans who live in America, or do "Americans" have their own particular characteristics built upon European backgrounds throughout history? There are different characteristics between a European and an American. In "What is an American?" by Michel-Guillaume-Jean de Crevecoeur, he describes the hardship emigrating from France to America where many opportunities were offered to him and depicts the meaning of showing patriotism to ones country for what the country has done for you.
As a French immigrant, Crevecoeur had a life-long dream to experience "What is an American". "The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles; he must, therefore, entertain new ideas and form new opinions"(225), implying that a true American is a person who works hard for what they desire and succeed in gaining recognition in their fields, whether favorable or not. It is here in America where being noticed is the key factors to the respect of people and to see in as a true American.
Sketch of African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunb...
English: Paul Laurence Dunbar (June 27, 1872 – F...
English: US postage stamp of 1975 (thus PD) depict...It is said from Crevecoeur's quote that people of all kind are to utilize the American system and strive to reach for its maximum intents or else "it would be a useless labor passed to [the] toils of a very different nature" (225).
America is simply not a country fought over by other countries to obtain possession of, but a developing process where many different cultures of people around the world strive to work for a promising life. People come to America for many different reasons. America's main attraction is its offering of economic opportunity. The 1800s were a time of a hardship in finding work and food for an individual and even for a family, many other countries excluding America lack the opportunities of jobs for the impoverished citizens,