Prewriting

Question 1: Coates describes the American Dream as “The most gorgeous dream” (pg.11). He uses a memorial day cookout and the smell of peppermint to exhibit his thoughts on the dream. He says “The dream smells like peppermint but takes like strawberry shortcake (pg.11). I think he is saying the American Dream sounds good but when you get it, it may be different. Using the example of a strawberry shortcake sounds good, but it’s not delicious to everybody.

Question 2: In the beginning of the article, violence is the main topic. Quotes say this country was built on violence and the people who endured it.  The fear was there in the extravagant boys of my neighborhood, in their large rings and medallion, their big puffy coats and full-length fur-coated leathers, which was their armor against their world.” (pg.14) This quote shows the fear black people have in the world now because of past hatred towards them. Abraham Lincoln’s speech before the battle of gettysburg was set towards the people whom he thoughts was important. The quote “the dream rests on our backs, the bedding made from our bodies” (pg 11) directly answers the question.