The writers in the unit “America Speaks” all claim a specific version of what it means to be an American. In “Kira-Kira,” by Cynthia Kadohata and in “I Hear America Singing,” by Walt Whitman, the writers both explain what they think it means to be an American. They way that these writers explain what this can be both compared and contrasted. To Cynthia Kadohata, being an American means that you should love and appreciate your country. You should be happy that you are able to live in America. To Walt Whitman, being an American means that you are able to be diverse and be happy at the same time. Both writers believe that you should be happy to be able to live in America.
In “I Hear America Singing,” by Walt Whitman and in “Kira-Kira,” by Cynthia Kadohata, the writers both explain in similar ways what they think it means to be an American. Walt Whitman and Cynthia Kadohata both think that if you are an American, you should be happy to live in America. In “Kira-Kira,” it states that “When I grew older, I used kira-kira to describe everything I liked: the beautiful blue sky, puppies, kittens, butterflies, colored Kleenex.” (Kadohata, 255). Kadohata is explaining how she loves America. She describes many things in America using the word “kira-kira,” meaning “glittering” to show how much she loves America. In “I Hear America Singing,” Whitman explains how much he loves America too, like Kadohata does. It states that “I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,...Those of Mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong.” (Whitman, 243). Whitman is explaining how much he loves America, and how happy he is to be able to live in America. He explains how he hears America “singing,” meaning that he sees how everyone is happy to be able to live in America. Therefore, Whitman and Kadohata both explain what they think it means to be an American. They both explain how being an American means that you should be happy that you are able to live in America. In “I Hear America Singing,” by Walt Whitman and in “Kira-Kira,” by Cynthia Kadohata, the writers explain what it they thinks it means to be an American. They way that these writers explain this can be contrasted. Whitman believes that being an American means that everyone is equal and that everyone has freedom. He knows that he has freedom, and is proud of it. However, Kadohata believes that too, but she doesn’t think she is treated like she is equal to everyone else. In “Kira-Kira,” Kadohata writes “People stared at us when we went into their restaurants...We didn’t know where to sit, so we always ordered to-go.” (Kadohata, 258). Kadohata is explaining how she lives in America and has freedom, but isn’t sure is she is really equal to everyone. Also, in “I Hear America Singing,” Whitman explains what he thinks it means to be an …show more content…
In “Kira-Kira,” by Cynthia Kadohata and in “I Hear America Singing,” by Walt Whitman, the writers both explain what they think it means to be an American. Both writers think that it means to be an American that you should be happy that you are able to live in America. Whitman also believes that it means that you all people are equal and everyone has freedom to be an American. Kadohata knows that she has freedom in America. But she doesn’t know if she is considered equal to
In “I Hear America Singing,” by Walt Whitman and in “Kira-Kira,” by Cynthia Kadohata, the writers both explain in similar ways what they think it means to be an American. Walt Whitman and Cynthia Kadohata both think that if you are an American, you should be happy to live in America. In “Kira-Kira,” it states that “When I grew older, I used kira-kira to describe everything I liked: the beautiful blue sky, puppies, kittens, butterflies, colored Kleenex.” (Kadohata, 255). Kadohata is explaining how she loves America. She describes many things in America using the word “kira-kira,” meaning “glittering” to show how much she loves America. In “I Hear America Singing,” Whitman explains how much he loves America too, like Kadohata does. It states that “I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,...Those of Mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong.” (Whitman, 243). Whitman is explaining how much he loves America, and how happy he is to be able to live in America. He explains how he hears America “singing,” meaning that he sees how everyone is happy to be able to live in America. Therefore, Whitman and Kadohata both explain what they think it means to be an American. They both explain how being an American means that you should be happy that you are able to live in America. In “I Hear America Singing,” by Walt Whitman and in “Kira-Kira,” by Cynthia Kadohata, the writers explain what it they thinks it means to be an American. They way that these writers explain this can be contrasted. Whitman believes that being an American means that everyone is equal and that everyone has freedom. He knows that he has freedom, and is proud of it. However, Kadohata believes that too, but she doesn’t think she is treated like she is equal to everyone else. In “Kira-Kira,” Kadohata writes “People stared at us when we went into their restaurants...We didn’t know where to sit, so we always ordered to-go.” (Kadohata, 258). Kadohata is explaining how she lives in America and has freedom, but isn’t sure is she is really equal to everyone. Also, in “I Hear America Singing,” Whitman explains what he thinks it means to be an …show more content…
In “Kira-Kira,” by Cynthia Kadohata and in “I Hear America Singing,” by Walt Whitman, the writers both explain what they think it means to be an American. Both writers think that it means to be an American that you should be happy that you are able to live in America. Whitman also believes that it means that you all people are equal and everyone has freedom to be an American. Kadohata knows that she has freedom in America. But she doesn’t know if she is considered equal to