That's all she wrote

Step one: At first glance, Whitman's notebook appears to be written all in cursive and the first page is a little hard to make out. There appears to be an address written down, although it is difficult to tell the location. On the second page, Whitman begins to write a conversation between him and Abraham Lincoln. He mentions religion, which leads me to believe Whitman may have been religious and incorporated that into many of his poems. I also noticed that words and sentences are crossed out throughout the notebook, which could reveal that Whitman changed up his thoughts a lot. He also may have not cared for appearance, as he crossed them out rather than erasing them. Although I cannot make out what is written, Whitman writes rhetorical questions in his notebook. This is significant as it shows that he was curious, as well as wrote down all his thoughts even if he didn't have a clear answer for them. Whitman's notebooks include various drawings of different men. From thes...

The American Dream. This ideal has evolved since it first originated in 1920-30s to the modern age we live in. When the term was first coined, it meant freedom (protected by the Declaration of Independence), mutual respect, and opportunity. It emphasized ideals, in which life should be fuller and richer for everyone, rather than material goods. As the term became more commonplace, its connections to this idea of equality and collectiveness lessened. With the influence of media, the American Dream became associated with homeownership and material prosperity. Today, many question if the American Dream is still alive, or if its meaning is consistent with what it was in the past.  I see the American Dream today as still holding true to its meaning of success and opportunity yet evolving with our consumerist society- therefore, focused more individually. I believe the American Dream is still alive; it just depends on how you define it. To me, the American Dream is about success in...