The American Identity in Joyve Moser and Ann Watters’ Creating America

In Creating America, Joyce Moser and Ann Watters suggest, "In understanding American identities, we need to come to terms with unity and division, with separateness and common ground". As we take a look at the primary text, we begin to understand the logic behind Moser and Watters' assertion about American identity. Through meticulous analysis, we find a shared similarity of opposing ideas in specific texts, such as "unity and division" and "separateness and common ground". Furthermore, in the description of "American identities" the word "American", which implies public, is juxtaposed by the word "identities", which suggests private, creating a paradox. It becomes evident that these texts are similar in the way that they are contrasting ideas, which exposes the authors' logic of contradiction. The repetitive use of conflicting language in the authors' statement reveals what an American Identity essentially is; a contradiction. Moser and Watters' argument of contradiction in American identity stands as the truth and can be strongly supported by evidence from various secondary texts.

Within the first secondary text we come across; the Declaration of Independence, we encounter contradictions which support and relate to Moser and Watters' argument of American identity. A section of the text in this document states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal [...] that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness". First off, this document promoted the idea of freedom for all Americans, yet it contradicted its own principles as the author of the document, Thomas Jefferson, was a man who also supported slavery. In an idealistic world, this document would be able to provide equality and freedom for all, however, in reality, it's not obtainable since some people are more equal than others. As a result, we compromise and are separated into groups; those who are able to acquire these rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, such as Jefferson, and those who can't, such as slaves. At the same time, regardless of our class or race we, all share the similarity of being bound to a form of government. This evidence can relate back to the primary text as it reveals the contradiction of "separateness and common ground" in American identities.

Our next secondary text, Choke, by Chuck Palahniuk also provides additional evidence, that connects back to Moser and Watters' argument in Creating America. In a section of the text from Choke, Palahniuk states, "The unreal is more powerful than the real. Because nothing is as perfect as you can imagine it". It's truly ironic to believe that the unreal idea, despite the fact that it doesn't exist, will still outlive the objects that do exist in our world. Palahniuk gives further support, stating, "Because it's only intangible ideas, concepts, beliefs that last. Stone crumbles. Wood rots. But things as fragile as a thought a dream, a legend, they can go on and on". This relates to Moser and Watters' argument of contradiction. The belief that intangible ideas, such as an identity, create a bigger impact than real objects is contradictory because although they bring about change in the world, rather than tangible items, they technically don't even exist.

In our final secondary text, "American Identities", by President Barack Obama, we can also make a connection to Moser and Watters' assertion on American identity. Similar to Moser and Watters' Creating America, the paradox of an American identity being a public yet private thing can be found within Barack Obama's speech. Initially, Obama gave the impression that Americans were as one; a group, claiming "we are stronger together", yet he began to call out people of our nation individually, stating, "[B]lack, white, Latino, Asian, Native American; young, old; gay, straight; men, women, folks with disabilities...". Though he delivers a speech about a collective America, he still divides people based upon their race, sexual orientation, gender and much more. The contradiction that lies within Obama's speech is evident and can relate back to Moser and Watters" "unity and division" in American identities because although we envision a unified country, we are faced with the reality of a divided set of individual people.

Without an understanding of the logic behind Moser and Watters' assertion, one cannot comprehend the overall meaning of it. In order to grasp the basic logic of Moser and Watters' assertion, it is necessary that one accepts and familiarizes themselves with the idea of contradiction. In doing so, one can gain the ability of critical thinking. Through this new- found mentality, one can come to learn that American identity is a mixture of diversity, similarity, unity, and division. Most importantly, through critical thinking, we have discovered that American identity, above all else, is a contradiction.

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