Two years after the release of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the 1958 film The Blob drew similar, albeit more simplistic, connections to communism and identity. Yeaworth’s The Blob follows teenager Steve and his girlfriend Jane as they discover that a meteorite that landed in their town contained an amorphous alien life form that grows by enveloping human life. As the blob creeps around the town, growing into an immense red mass, Steve and Jane must run to save their lives and find a way to stop the alien from growing- or else become one with it (Yeaworth, The Blob). Like the pods from Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the blob is a foreign agent, not born in America, but a disease that could kill it. The blob could assimilate anyone into its …show more content…
Whereas the pod people could pass in society, marking the fear that anybody could be a communist or lying about their identity, the blob focuses on the fear that one loses every aspect of self when one assimilates with a foreign agent (or ideology). To highlight this fear of loss of identity, the main character has very strong character traits; Steve is a reckless, fast-driving teenager who stands up for what’s right even when no one believes him. If this teenager, the pinnacle of the growing teenage culture, lost his identity, America would lose an embodiment of its individualistic values and opportunities. Steve fights the police and tries to convince people of danger, relying on his own experiences rather than the will of an institution, asserting his individuality that institutions unknowingly endanger by trying to silence individual concerns. After Steve discovers the secret to stopping the blob, the end of the film states that the blob is not dead, only stopped (“as long as the arctic stays cold”) and ends with a question mark (Yeaworth, The Blob). The American identity still needs to be protected and upheld by its young
What is an American identity to you? Some people say it is if your born an American. Others say you have to speak English and have American traditions. To be honest, their is no definite definition of having an American identity. Their are many different cultures and races that have an American identity.
Justin Dempsey, a husband and a father of two teenagers has been a police officer for the NYPD for ten years. Dempsey says, “This is one of the hardest things I 've ever had to do for my job. It 's devastating how many lives were lost to these blobs.” All two million blobs were killed by a dangerous poison that scientist created. It was unharmful to humans but very dangerous to the blobs which are now named, hirocitria.
America: The Beacon of Hope To many, America is considered the greatest country in the world; a place where anyone’s dreams can come true, a beacon of light in a world of oppression. Open doors give everyone the chance to enter, with a chance at a better life, with the mentality that working hard will let you succeed, building America up from the original 13 colonies to the 50 states we have today. However, in recent times there has been a change in people’s frame of mind, and as a result America has started to slip from its number one status.
Our people are basically decent and caring, and our highest ideals are expressed in the Declaration of Independence, which says that all of us have an equal right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The history of our country, I point out in my book, is a striving, against corporate robber barons and war makers, to make those ideals a reality — and all of us, of whatever age, can find immense satisfaction in becoming part of that.” (making history,
Do you live in a dystopian society? No one tells you anything, you’re unhappy, or you feel inferior to others or in some cases exactly the same. Then you might live in a government controlled or dystopian society. Important lessons that can be learned from the movie about the dangers of a dystopian society or a government controlled society are no individuality and you don’t have any control. One characteristic of a dystopian society is no individuality.
The United States has always had a lot to be proud of. With features like beautiful landscapes from deserts and forests to mountains and snow, the infamous title of ‘land of the free,’ and of course there hard won independence-which they have always found worth celebrating. The United States serves as the world’s melting pot, where the traditions of different races, cultures, genders, social classes, and any other difference can all be found in one place, though maybe living their lives in many different ways. The United States had always shown promise for so many people.
According to Forbes, 147 million people worry about their identities but one billion people don’t have an identity. In the novel American Born Chinese there are many different cultures within one community which causes a collision between the people. Jin Wang moved from a San Francisco Chinatown to a more Americanized neighborhood where he finds himself immediately getting bullied for being Asian. Jin Wang's interaction with the American culture had a significant impact on his development, so he tried to change himself physically and was willing to throw away his identity, showing that most people have this ongoing desire to change to be accepted. Jin Wang was so adamant about fitting in that changing himself physically after getting bullied at school.
America has given our family the chance to become whatever we choose to become” (Document A). In the current times of the world, our nation has become so diverse and has many freedoms of gender, race and social rank. An obvious example is the first African American president, Barack Obama. Although there are not many, there are now women in government roles. Our country has progressed with equality rights and not discriminating towards certain groups of people.
But ironically, when these regular citizens gain an inch of separation from their peers they immediately become the thing they despise. Nelson qualifies this idea with her inclusion of BlueServo in her essay. This was a venture to crowdsource the “looking for ‘illegals’” (Nelson 302). Initially, BlueServo was a way for citizens to serve their country, but quickly it became an easy way for damaged citizens to live out their sick fantasies.
The citizens who strive for greatness are often the ones who embody themselves to the value of hard work. How Americans view their identity is based on the foundation of economic development and opportunities in the
However, in 2010 there was a rise of public demonstrations were a young activist were beginning to voluntarily expose their status as being undocumented. The undocumented youth were ready to stand up for their right to be treated equality just like any other America. The only difference has always been that they were not born in this country, but apart from that many times they have grown up in America, calling this country their home. They are no longer afraid and have began to bring awareness to communities about what is occurring and bringing attention to the injustices that are often overseen. While their parents stayed in the shadows, these undocumented youths are publicly presenting themselves as undocumented, showing their faces and names in actions and are having interviews recorded by media (Eisema, Fiorito, Sieburth 31).
Communities talk about the American Dream, the dream that offers individuals a democracy, rights, opportunity, the pursuit of happiness, equality, prosperity, and success. Often time’s parents want this dream for their families and their children, especially when the conditions of their current lifestyles’ are significantly insufficient. Repeatedly people apply to become an American citizen for endless reasons, however, the steps, patience, and test requirements can take years to complete if not longer. In the mean time people from around the world travel extensive distances threating their lives and breaking laws in order to make it to America, to live the “American dream” simply because the process takes so long. Unfortunately this dream is often shattered by the deportation of the illegal immigrants and their families.
Amiyah Eason Cochran Final Draft 12 June 2023 The Change In America Learned Hand's 1944 "I Am an American Day Address" sought to prioritize liberty and freedom from oppression and wants. Hand tries to persuade listeners to agree with his priorities using pathos, religion, repetition, and racial justice as a backbone to his speech. While Hand makes some excellent points in his "I am an American Day Address," they are outdated, and no longer as persuasive as they were in 1944. "We sought liberty, freedom from wants, freedom from oppression, and the ability to be ourselves.
The Irony of “Born in the U.S.A.” As the fireworks explode in the night sky to celebrate Independence Day, “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen plays loudly for the audience to hear. As the men, women, and children bellow out the chorus proudly, they never seem to grasp its intended meaning. By studying the appeals and irony used in Springsteen’s lyrics, it is easy to see how Springsteen’s message of the poor treatment of Vietnam War veterans is misconstrued by millions of listeners into American pride. Springsteen’s intended audience is a group made up of mainly white, blue collar Americans-
The film, Crash, emphasizes the differences of cultures and classes. It focuses on the reality that we are all individuals and that adaptation of the human condition is hopeless. That the need to compete and the desire to win are more important than the justification for human decency. The tension of social and racial tension throughout this film I believe widens the chasm of discussion. I believe this because this film can be interpreted differently by individuals.