What elements of the “dream” do these authors/texts share in common, and how/why do other elements differ?
• Discuss and compare how we see “the American Dream” portrayed in the specific primary texts included in our course materials by John Smith, Christopher Columbus, Thomas Jefferson. How do they define this idea? What makes it uniquely “American”? What contextual factors influence their depiction of the American Dream? What elements of the “dream” do these authors/texts share in common, and how/why do other elements differ? How is their stance/depiction of the American Dream idea significant to our study of American literature?