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Short Essays and Responses

Short Essay #3

Learning about American culture and society we have looked at both formalized sources of information about society, and work that reflects said society. The books Who Are We by Samuel Huntington and All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy help to provide us with both formal and informal views into the values and practices of American people. In McCarthy’s book the main character John Grady helps to exemplify the values and worldviews that Huntington describes. John Grady heavily exemplifies individualism and some of the core American values about workmanship throughout the novel. Not only does Grady himself show certain aspects of the American identity that Huntington talks about, but his relationships with his companions does as well. The worldview and values shown by Grady, help us to understand aspects of the American identity that Huntignton speaks about throughout his book. 

In the beginning of the novel by McCarthy Grady decides to leave the ranch that his mother is trying to sell and head down to Mexico and start a new life for himself. Joining him is his friend Rawlins and another accomplice he meets along the way; Blevins. The aspects of American identity and the worldview held by Grady are heavily present throughout the beginning of the novel as Grady and his companions are not only inexperienced in frontier life but also very young as well. Huntington talks about American values and worldview as being ready for anything and being able to go at things alone. Grady does not rely on anyone and even though him and his companions work as a team, there is no sense of dependence on one-another. The rugged frontier and Grady’s ability to navigate this new terrain with little experience is a reflection on many of the American ideals that Huntington sets forth in his book. Huntington speaks on the ideas of individualism and Grady’s decision to leave his home and go to a completely new area is a great example of it. Not only does Grady leave his ranch back home he also works hard in Mexico to prove himself as a good employee on the new ranch he ends up briefly staying at. The ideas of strong workmanship and facing new tough conditions with confidence are strongly present in the worldview presented by Huntington and show us the accuracy in Grady’s representation of American Ideals.

The relationship that Grady has with Blevins and Rawlins also helps to exemplify elements of the American and Anglo-Protestant identity that Huntignton speaks about. Specifically when speaking about Blevins, Grady makes decisions that are not necessarily beneficial to him in order to help Blevins out. When Blevins loses his horse Grady decides to help him steal it back and convinces Rawlins not to abandon him. This sense of togetherness and group strength is an aspect of American identity and is amplified in the face of conflict. When Huntington talks about Americans grouping together in the face of conflict we see a direct parallel to Grady. Not only when helping Blevins is this group strength shown, but towards the end of the novel when Rawlins is ready to give up it is Grady who convinces and motivates him to continue to move forward. Grady’s ability to be strong in the face of conflict and unify the group he is with further shows how he is strongly aligned with the values that Huntingon explains are characterized by an Anglo-Protestant worldview. 

Grady’s alignment to the Anglo-Protestant worldview and culture that Huntington presents helps to show us concrete examples of what that culture entails. The actions and decisions Grady makes show us how his views and ideas are influenced by the Anglo-Protestatn culture and helps us further understand the specific things Huntington spoke about in his book.

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Catch-All/Student Discussion Questions

American Identity

Huntington speaks about American identity and nationalism in the latests chapter we had to read for Who Are We? and he makes some very interesting points about the relationship between identity and conflict. As we have already read, there is a clear connection between conflict and identity. When groups are in conflict with one-another or they become closer in order to become stronger and perform better during said conflict. As Huntington explains American nationalism and identity increased almost every time there was a major conflict. During the early wars at the start of the nation the first distinctions from being considered “Britons” to being “Americans” are made. The shared experience of fighting for what they believed in brought early Americans closer together and helped create the idea of an American identity. This identity was fostered throughout the creation of America and continues to be experienced today. Prominent symbols like the American flag and Uncle Sam have reinforced American identity and created a sense of unison throughout the entirety of the nation. In contemporary society it feel, however, that American identity is fading. Throughout history America has almost always absorbed new groups and added them to the overall American identity. What about contemporary society is causing the loss of American Identity? Are symbols of American identity still representative of specific things or have they lost meaning? Lastly, how important is American identity to maintaining the United States as a strong country?

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Reading and Film Presentations and Discussion

The Witch

The movie The Witch was not only a thrilling tale about a puritan family, but also gave key insight into the life and values of early American puritan settlers. The movie starts by showing us a puritan family being banished from the local group due to differing religious interpretations. After the family is banished, they decide to create their own homestead were everything at first appears to be going well. However, as the eldest daughter in the family is playing with the newest born son, he is taken away. The family blames his disappearance on a wolf, but the true reason for his disappearance is because a witch living in the nearby woods kidnapped him and used him in a ritual. This ritual makes the witch young so she can later in the movie capture the eldest boy in the family and just like the youngest son, kill him. The tragedies this family experience show us key values about American puritanism in the early days of American settlement. The family as a whole is heavily religious and the reaction to these horrible events the family experiences is intense prayer and the consistent acknowledgment and guilt for the original sin they are born with. The importance of religion in their lives was clearly a part of early American life and the dedication to avoiding sin was prominent as well. One of the most interesting aspects of the movie in relation to the lives of early American settlers was the fact that the family was excluded from the local group due to a religious difference. Since most of these settlers left Europe to escape religious persecution it is interesting to see that there are still consequences in America for not conforming to the typical religious views. The relation between religion and identity is then interesting to look at in early America. Since we are reading Who are We? we have learned that religion can often play a role in both individual and group identities. Clearly religion was intricate to group identities in early America, is religion still a part of American identity? How can religious persecution be explained in a society that was meant to avoid this? Lastly, how did intense religious beliefs shape the lives and decision of early American settlers?

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Catch-All/Student Discussion Questions

Shane and American Values

The movie Shane that we were assigned to watch was very interesting and I believe that it showed key aspects of American culture and its development. In the movie the characters who are farming on the land are in conflict with the people who own cattle and are trying to drive them off. One of the main issues within the movie is the fact that the nearest person involved with the law (Sherif, marshal, ect) is three days away. As things get worse for those living off the land it becomes apparent that justice is going to have to be taken into the hands of the people. I believe the movie represents some key characteristics of American life and the development of American society. As we see in the movie it is clear that the people want to work for themselves and make a living off of the land that they own. The ideas of individuality and being self-made are prominent in American society and are clearly seen in the movie Shane. Another representative part of the movie is that fact that there must be justice for the people. A key part of American society and its development was focused on justice for all. The movie shows how taking actions into your own hands in order to make things right is the best thing to do and I believe the movie was conveying how justice is required to live a happy and peaceful life. The various events throughout the movie that build up to the point in which matters are taken into the hands of the people show aspects of American development and I believe the movie helps give insight into many American values.