My definition of a true American would be someone who knows that they should respect all religions, races, and everyone else. I mostly agree with Albert Einstein that, America is a great country; however it has a few flaws. For example the media says many things about September 11th and throws out many words like Muslims, and Iraqis. Many of the people get way too influenced by the news, turning people to hate all Muslims, and Iraqi’s. This is an example about what Albert Einstein said about how the press has a major influence on public opinion. Another agreement I have with Albert Einstein is about America’s technology and Organization. Sometimes I wonder how America is so organized with cities, their laws, and I’m amazed with every invention that America comes out with. For example the recent release of the Xbox 360 may be the most amazing invention ever to someone who has never even seen a television in other countries. Those are some examples of why I agree with Einstein that America is wonderful, but not perfect.

The father in Paul Theroux’s work, The Mosquito Coast, has much more different opinions about America than Albert Einstein did. The father’s outlook on America is all negative. The father mostly blames everything on America. For example when the father saw a fat girl he exclaimed that, “‘That’s cheeseburgers.’ And he stuck his head out the window and hollered, ‘That’s cheeseburgers!’ ”. (Theroux, 1) America is famous for cheeseburgers, and obese people, so he blames her obesity on cheeseburgers. The father is also outraged on the prices on everything in America, some of which he assumes should be free. For example the father thinks that ice should be free, because water is, and ice is a form of water. “They sell ice – ten pounds for a half a buck. But water is free as air. Those dingbats are selling water!” (Theroux, 2) Another problem the father has with America is that people from other countries make everything for America. What the father says shows how serious he is about all of his problems with America. “ ‘I just said so, Jack. It’s made in Japan. I don’t want my hard-earned bucks turned into foreign exchange for the sons of Nippon. I don’t want to bankroll another generation of kamikazes.”(Therou x, 2) The father is so annoyed about how America does not make their own goods that he will not buy something that says it has been made in China. The father dislikes the country so much that he says he wants to leave it. “‘Right,’ he said ‘But what kind of a country is it that turns shoppers into traitors and honest men into liars? No one ever thinks of leaving this country. Charlie, I think of it every day!’”(Theroux, 2) The father who said all of this about America has a really strong negative opinion about our country. Some of his comments were interesting, such as ice having a price.

Neal Clay
Block D

Einstein and Theroux’s Opinions


Albert Einstein views America as mostly misunderstood. For example many people see America as materialistic, and the only thing that people get respect for is fortune and fame; however Albert Einstein writes that knowledge and justice is very respected in the United States as shown in this quote. “This proves that knowledge and justice are ranked above wealth and power by a large section of the human race. My experience teaches me that this idealistic outlook is particularly prevalent in America, which is decried as a singularly materialistic country.” (Einstein page 1) Einstein also shows that he is impressed with America’s technology when he says this. “What first strikes the visitor with amazement is the superiority of this country in matters of technology and organization.” (Einstein page 1) Einstein also has some negative opinions about America. For example, Einstein criticizes that the public is too influenced by the press, which shows here. “…the result being that the Press which is mostly controlled by vested interests, has an excessive influence on public opinion.”(Einstein page 2) Another one of Einstein’s opinions can be considered either good, or bad. Einstein wrote that, “In apparent contradiction to this stands the fact that the activities of the State are relatively restricted as compared with those in Europe.”(Einstein page 2) Einstein had very interesting opinions that I have never thought of before, but he has a mostly positive outlook on America.