Everyday Americans

"Everyday Americans" by Henry Seidel Canby is an essay that looks at the American spirit after World War I. The writing tries to capture what it means to be a typical American, especially focusing on people with old family roots in the country and those just finishing college. The essay shows how the war changed their ideas about what it means to be American and what values they hold dear. The story starts by saying it's not a war story, but it asks us to think about how the war has shaped how we see ourselves as Americans. It talks about how American political thinking is complex and looks at the many parts of American life, like what we believe and what problems we face, mostly among people who went to college; Canby is interested in figuring out the American political mind during this time.