Author: Lily Shorney

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Reading and Film Presentations and Discussion

ERA All the Pretty Horses pp. 59-101

Throughout the pages 59-101 of McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses, many imperative events take place. In the beginning of this section, John Grady, Blevins, and Rawlins are continuing on together in Mexico and when searching for water, end up drinking a large amount of alcohol. In fact, they are so intoxicated that Blevins ends up falling off of his horse. Later on there is a storm brewing and Blevins responds with intense fear. He explains that many of his family members have died or have been badly injured as a result of being struck by lightning. He then proceeds to hide out in a ditch in order to avoid what he believes to be his fate. The next morning it is evident that as a result of this he has lost his clothes, his horse, and his gun. The three continue to ride until they find the person who has stolen Blevins’ horse. Blevins steals his horse back, speeds away, and becomes separated from John Grady and Rawlins. It is unclear whether Blevins was caught by the people he stole from or if he escaped. 

John Grady and Rawlins assert that this is not the last they will be seeing of Blevins, however they continue to move on. They meet a group of vaqueros and follow them to the Hacienda de Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción. On the way, they catch a glimpse of Alejandra, the ranch owner’s daughter, and are enamored by her beauty. Here, they are hired by Armondo and plan to break in the horses that are at the hacienda.

This entire section entails a great amount of movement while also incorporating many imperative conversations. A theme that came up twice in this section is religion. During one discussion, Blevins accuses John Grady of being an infidel when he is asked whether he believes in Judgment day. In another conversation, Rawlins asks John Grady if he believes in heaven and whether he believes that God looks out for people or not. This inclusion of religious conversation led me to solidify my understanding of the importance of religion in America. In previous class periods, the idea of the omnipresent Anglo-Protestant culture was presented as innate in the American identity. Through Rawlins, John Grady, and Blevins, the concept that religion is of significance is exemplified on their journey and in their lives as Americans.

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Catch-All/Student Discussion Questions

War’s Unifying Effects

When watching the film Saving Private Ryan, I found myself struck by how realistic the horrific depictions of battles in World War II were. There were multiple parts of the movie in which I found myself turning away because they were so gruesome. These aspects of the movie led me to consider the idea that war creates unity among people. It creates a national identity and provides an enemy into which the nation can channel their energy. This is seen in various scenes in the film when Miller and his men meet other American soldiers. There is an immediate sense of trust and brotherhood because they are all fighting for the same cause. However, I find this notion to be contradictory in a variety of ways. While I concede that war does enforce a common goal for the whole, it seems rather absurd that the mass amounts of death and pain that is endured throughout a war are necessary to create a national identity and nationalism. An enemy or an “other” is what Huntington says is needed for a nation to unite, and this is most easily achieved through war. As can be seen in current times, when America does not have an exterior enemy, they turn to inner conflict which ruptures nationalism and national identity. I feel that it is imperative for a nation to unite over other issues that do not include war considering the devastating effects. It seems extreme that war would be the only way that a nation could come together. 

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Catch-All/Student Discussion Questions

Religious Freedom in “The Witch”

While watching The Witch, I was impressed by the many ways in which the film portrayed Puritans of the time. There was a great effort to capture the clothing, the setting, and the dialect of the Puritan people in North America. Specifically, however, I feel that the film did an especially remarkable job depicting the Puritan religion and the idea that those who practiced beliefs outside of the religion were condemned and viewed as immoral. During the time in which the movie takes place, belief in witches was common and there was intense paranoia revolving around the idea. This is reiterated by the Salem witch trials which occurred shortly after the time period of this film. 

After watching this film, the discussion in class about the values of American identity have become more clear. While many believe religious freedom is a reason for the settling of the American colonies and an important value of Americans, in reality, these people only wanted religious freedom for their particular religion from England. All others were deplored. In the film this is portrayed in two ways. Originally, the family leaves their colony after a religious disputation. They are exiled from the community for refusing to adhere to their specific religion. After settling in another place, they find themselves cursed by a witch. The connection between these two events shows that there are reprimands for straying from the dominant Puritan religion. Also, in current times, the belief in witches is far less common, showing that religious freedom has increased since the time of this film, but it is imperative to note, as discussed in class, that America was not built on this value.  

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Reading and Film Presentations and Discussion

Huntington – Chapter 2 ERA

Through Chapter 2 in Samuel P. Huntington’s Who Are We?, a clear understanding of the concept of identity as it will appear in the book is portrayed. Huntington begins by defining the term identity as “an individual’s or group’s sense of self” (21). He furthers this definition by stating that individual identities are often more fluid than group identities. People are often members of multiple groups and can shift their identity based on those groups, whereas a group’s values and goals are often set in stone. Additionally, identities are created by individuals and groups, and therefore it is possible to have multiple identities or different aspects of one’s identity. It is also necessary to keep in mind that although humans define their own identity, it is also shaped by one’s interactions with others. 

After clarifying the concept of identity and the different variables that play into a person’s or group’s self understanding, Huntington moves into the topic of “others.” Once an identity is constructed, an “other” is constructed as well. Groups and individuals tend to favor their own identity and their own group. It is innate in human nature to crave an enemy, or an individual or group to strive to beat. I found this idea to be especially applicable to the two-party system that exists in the United States today. A large portion of the country is split politically between republicans and democrats. Often, these two parties seem to face conflict and tend to compete. Huntington would assert that this is due to the human need for enemies when identifying with a particular group or defining oneself.

In the later part of the chapter Huntington addresses the dichotomy between civic nationalism and ethnic nationalism. Civic nationalism is the idea that any person, despite race or ethnicity, is able to be a citizen. Ethnic nationalism generates citizenship based off of one’s ethnic background or community. However, he then argues that this polarity is over simplified considering that culture and ethnicity are not the same thing. Culture is fluid while ethnic background is more rigid. 

After considering all of these important ideas that Huntington has addressed in chapter 2, I am intrigued by how these concepts apply to greek life in the United States, particularly at Bucknell. I feel that greek organizations are effective examples of the concept of identity as it applies to groups and the ways in which other groups become enemies. In addition, I am curious to hear my classmates’ responses to the ways in which greek life alters a person’s identity at Bucknell or if it does not alter it at all. 

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Catch-All/Student Discussion Questions

The Position of the Slave in the 1830s

In Chapter 18 of Tocqueville’s Democracy in America, he presents the three distinct races that inhabit the United States. He claims that there is great social stratification between these groups and that the white citizens are the ones who are of the highest status. The other two groups, indigenous people and black people, are below the whites. When speaking specifically about the black people in the United States, he states that the slaves adjust to the habit of servitude and therefore come to idolize the white people who are their masters. If I am understanding correctly, he suggests that the slaves are brainwashed into accepting their position in society as well as striving to imitate their masters to the best of their ability. While this may be true for some of the slaves, it is also true that others were conscious of the injustice that they were facing and many rebelled against the institution of slavery. Tocqueville does not mention this in Chapter 18, however it is imperative to recognize these instances in order to fully understand the position of the slave in American society in the 1830s.