395 years is a very long time. 395 years seen through the eyes of countless immigrants is a much longer time. Almost 400 years after the European ‘discovery’ of the Colonies, things have certainly changed. The darker brother now can dine at the table with the lighter brother when company comes, women now take their rightful place alongside men in society, and we no longer fear change, although we have been a country of change since the start. In the 239 year America has been free, the country has witnessed 218 years of war. This turmoil has done little to nothing to deter the will of immigrants. This may be attributed to a vow that America seems to make to immigrants. As J. Hector St. John Crevecoeur puts it in his essay “Letter III: What is an American?”, Lady Columbia seems to say, “..If thou wilt work, I have bread for thee; if thou wilt be honest, sober, and industrious, I have greater rewards to confer on thee – ease and independence. […] Go thou and work and till; thou shalt prosper, provided thou be just,
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We live in a beautiful house, surrounded by the best people we can ask for. There were definitely some very tough times, but we pulled through. I guess this is our form of the American Dream, and I love it.” (Harini). For better or for worse, Crevecoeur’s offer still holds. My parents have certainly worked, and they are enjoying the fruits of their labor. They have remained, “...honest, sober, and industrious…” and have enjoyed, “..ease and independence..” in the form of US citizenship (Crevecoeur, 332- 33). We are fortunate to live in a country where an offer like that of Crevecoeur’s can hold true for nearly 400 years. Things have certainly changed in the 395 years that immigrants have started to arrive to America, but a few things have held strong; chief among them, Crevecoeur’s offer. It is our duty as a land of immigrants to keep this offer open to future immigrants as the immigrants before us have done for
We live in a beautiful house, surrounded by the best people we can ask for. There were definitely some very tough times, but we pulled through. I guess this is our form of the American Dream, and I love it.” (Harini). For better or for worse, Crevecoeur’s offer still holds. My parents have certainly worked, and they are enjoying the fruits of their labor. They have remained, “...honest, sober, and industrious…” and have enjoyed, “..ease and independence..” in the form of US citizenship (Crevecoeur, 332- 33). We are fortunate to live in a country where an offer like that of Crevecoeur’s can hold true for nearly 400 years. Things have certainly changed in the 395 years that immigrants have started to arrive to America, but a few things have held strong; chief among them, Crevecoeur’s offer. It is our duty as a land of immigrants to keep this offer open to future immigrants as the immigrants before us have done for