The Opiate of the People
Write 3-4 pages addressing the following questions:
– Who is this character? Is s/he a first-generation immigrant (born in another country) or a second-generation immigrant (born in the United States to immigrant parents)? What are his/her most important character traits? What scenes in the story demonstrate these traits?
– Is this character and his/her experience representative of his/her ethnic group of immigrants in America, based on the information in the story? That is, does this character experience similar things as others in his/her ethnic group, or does s/he have a unique experience? Why or why not?
– How does this immigrant see America? And how does America view this immigrant? Give an example or two from the story.
– What does “the American dream” mean to this immigrant? Does s/he attain the life or qualities of life inherent in the American dream? Why or why not?
NOTE: It is not necessary to give a complete plot summary. Use plot details only to support the points you make. You may assume we are familiar with the story and do not need to hear a recap.
Basic Requirements:
– A minimum of three full pages of writing
– Your name and page numbers at the top of each page in the header position
– A creative and informative title (make sure to include the story’s author and title in your title)
– Proper use of grammar and punctuation
– No larger than a 12 point font
– An introduction and conclusion
– Direct quotations from the text should be enclosed in quotation marks and following by parentheses containing the author’s last name and the page number from which the quotation is taken. “Here is an example” (Field 1). (Notice that the period comes after the parentheses.)
– Absolutely no plagiarism! Any instance of plagiarism will result in no credit granted for this paper. All sources other than the story itself should be cited parenthetically and in a bibliography.
Solution Preview
Introduction
The ‘Fortunate Pilgrim’ is a poignant novel written in 1965 by Mario Puzo. The novel is brilliantly written and is among the most profound portraits of an Italian Family. The novel distinctly depicts one woman’s bravery to conquer the many calamities in her and her children’s lives. Lucia Santa is a remarkable woman who came to America eager for an improved life. But along the way she had to trounce many obstacles including, the loss of two husbands,
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