one hundred percent american
- How do the contributions by other cultures that Linton describes alter presumptions of an archetypal American identity?
- The contributions from other countries and cultures basically make up our American identity. From the clip the author basically says that everything that he used in his entire day was either made in another country or originated in another country. For example he said that he found himself wearing all different things from different countries, one being cotton which was first domesticated in India. Also even by looking at the clock that was first invented in medieval times over in Europe.
- How is Linton’s analysis structured as a chronological account of a typical day in an American’s life?
- Well basically he goes through his day pretty much like any one would from when they wake up to when he goes pretty much to work. When he wakes up he talks about his pajamas and his sheets being made from another culture. Then he talks about how pretty much everything in his bathroom came from other countries or originated in another country. Continuing to when he gets dressed in his suit and then getting on the train and smoking a cigar or a cigarette that was made somewhere else.
- How would you characterize Linton’s tone and his purpose in writing this analysis?
- I think that Linton’s tone in this analysis was a little sarcastic at some points basically saying that we didn’t think of anything on our own. Pretty much it seems as if he wrote this analysis to say how we take and use everything that was originated in another culture and use it in our American life as though we created it or it was always there. Like how he talks about the American breakfast. After all the facts he listed, none of the breakfast food we eat was even originated here in America.
- Linton ends his essay when his average American boards a train, smokes, and reads the news. If you were to extend this average American’s day, what additional contributions of other cultures would you be able to identify?
- Well to continue this day they would probably go off to work. They could work at a company that maybe originated in another country. They then after that would probably drive home from the train station in usually a car that is most likely from another country because they are usually more reliable then American made cars. They would most likely come home and eat dinner and most of the food we typically eat comes from and originates in other countries and from different cultures as well. They would then probably watch TV and go to bed which in the book it said that the bed was made in probably china and get back into his silk pajamas that originated silk in china. All ending a day of things that most likely never came from America.