The American values in tall tales.
American dream
The American Dream is an idea of a liberal and prosperous America. The term “American Dream'” was coined by James Truslow Adams, a writer and historian.
American dream has been changing over the times.
For example, in the 1920's the American Dream was to be seen as Americans no matter your social status, race, and religion. In the 1950's the American Dream was at the best. Have a good job, start a family, buy a home, have kids, come home every day to a waiting housewife. Forward to the modern times, the “American dream” has a different meaning to every US citizen. For some it is the dream of freedom and equality, for others it is the dream of a fulfilled life or even the dream of fame and wealth. For others American dream is a greedy materialism. Many Americans think about how life would be as a millionaire with a yacht and a private jet.
The term "American dream" conveys many different images: raising a family, owning your own home, traveling to new adventures on the open road, starting a successful business. All of these images depend on the personal and economic freedom that Americans take for granted.
There is no particular or single definition of the American Dream. Different people in US perceive the idea of American Dream in different ways. But essentially the American Dream can be defined as an idea which suggests that all people can succeed through hard work, and that all people have the potential to live happy, successful lives.
The idea of an American Dream is older than the United States, dating back to the 1600s when new nation has emerged. It was just that time when American values began to form. From the earliest beginnings American values has formed in country of immigrants who come in searching a better life. Most immigrants were from England. It was these people who shaped the values and traditions that became the dominant culture of the United States.
Many of the dreams of these immigrant focused on owning land and establishing prosperous businesses which would theoretically generate happiness (What Is the "American Dream"?, http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-american-dream.htm).
What else attracted immigrants to the New World? About what were they dreaming?
Historically, the United States has been considered “the land of opportunity,” attracting immigrants from all over the world. The opportunities they believed they would find in America and the experiences they actually had when they arrived nurtured this set of values. These values can be viewed as reasons why immigrants have come to America: the chance for individual freedom, equality of opportunity, and material wealth. There were prices to be paid, though: self-reliance, competition, and hard work. In time, these prices themselves became an integral part of the American value system and American dream (Datesman al., 28).
Now we will examine how these basic traditional values are manifested in tall tales.
Whole American society is shaped by the feature of individualism.
Individualism is defined in a way that an individual is capable of anything apart from community. Individualism attaches great importance to equality of chance and competition, individual freedom, hard work, material wealth, self-reliance, self-discipline and opportunity. All these values of American society cannot be studied separately because they are forms of expression of freedom and individuality. There is a bright example of these values Johnny Appleseed.
Johnny set off from somewhere back east with a sack of apple seeds slung over his shoulder and an iron cook-pot for a hat. Johnny Appleseed was dreaming for a land where blossoming apple trees were everywhere and no one was hungry. And he firmly convinced to make him dream to come true.
He planted apple trees in the western portions of New York and Pennsylvania.
He grew them for profit. He'd establish a stand of one to two-year-old apple trees and sell them to the settlers for 6 cents a tree. Johnny established a few bases for his operation, in Western Pennsylvania and later in Richland County Ohio. He'd travel back and forth across the Ohio Valley, planting and tending to his orchards. He did all of the work himself, living alone for weeks at a time with only the Indians and wild animals for companionship. He never carried a gun or weapon of any kind. He was a deeply religious man who lived by the Golden Rule and had no fear of man or beast (http://www.suite101.com/content/johnny-appleseed-a66598 - Johnny Appleseed: Myth and Truth About an American Legend ).
According to Straight Dope “He was a paradox, both a frontiersman and a humanitarian. He was an agent of civilization, working to domesticate the wilderness with his apple trees and herbs and religion.”
We see that Johnny was a practical agricultural businessman who worked hard to get financial independence. Agriculture as well as business expressed this individualism. The ever expanding country offered numerous opportunities for investment. Many individuals risked small fortunes and great effort in establishing new enterprises which were often rewarded by the fast-developing economy. Johnny also is known as a sincere Christian who lived by Golden rules. It means being open and vulnerable, working through difficulties, doing good deeds, and looking for opportunities to provide care and comfort for people in need. In other words it’s humanitarianism that is very valuable in American society. It is designed to help others as Johnny did. He wanted to fulfill himself – his true wish was to grow apple-trees for people in order to feed them and make the world beautiful.
Tradition tale is a profoundly anti-racist and humanist tradition. American folk heroes are all anti-racists who actively oppose the genocide of American Indians and Afro-Americans. For example, Joe Magarac was Afro-American but he had equal rights and he worked in the steel mills with other workers in spite of race.
What more I want to comment about Johnny Appleseed is that he has a dream.
We have already mentioned that American dream is expressed as the dream of a land in which life should be better, richer, and fuller for every man with opportunities for each according to his abilities and achievement. It teaches Americans to believe that continent can be reached through the virtues of hard work, family loyalty, and faith in the free enterprise system.
Talking about Johnny Appleseed it is important to notice that Americans believe like Johnny that they should take care of themselves, solve their own problems, and stand on their own two feet. These all beliefs can be characterized as self-reliance. This strong belief in self-reliance continues today as a traditional basic American value. It is perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of the American character to understand, but it is profoundly important. Most Americans believe that they must be self-reliant in order to keep their freedom. If they rely too much on the support of their families or the government or any organization, they may lose some of their freedom to do what they want.
The hopes and dreams of many of these early immigrants were fulfilled in their new country. The lower social class into which many were born did not prevent them from trying to rise to a higher social position. Many found that they did indeed have a better chance to succeed in the United States than in the old country.
It was one of the reasons why immigrants have traditionally been drawn to the United States. Generations of immigrants, from the earliest settlers to the present day, have come to the United States with this expectation. They have felt that because individuals are free from excessive political, religious, and social controls, they have a better chance for personal success.
“Because millions of these immigrants succeeded, Americans came to believe in equality of opportunity. It is important to understand what most Americans mean when they say they believe in equality of opportunity. They do not mean that everyone is or should be equal. However, they do mean that each individual should have an equal chance for success. Americans see much of life as a race for success. In other words, equality of opportunity may be thought of as an ethical rule” (Mukhin 18). It helps ensure that the race for success is a fair one and that a person does not win just because he or she was born into a wealthy family, or lose because of race or religion. This American concept of "fair play" is an important aspect of the belief in equality of opportunity.
The achievement of material success is probably the most widely respected form of self-improvement in the United States. Some of the early European Protestant leaders believed that people who were blessed by God might be recognized in the world by their material success. American Protestantism, however, has never encouraged the idea of gaining wealth without hard work and self-discipline.
Self-discipline and hard work are well presented in Tall Tales about Joe Magarac. He was hard-working and honest with a desire to contribute to the building of the country by making the finest steel. He never slept, working 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
“Many scholars believe that the emphasis of Protestantism on these two values made an important contribution to the industrial growth of the United States. Protestant leaders brought about a different attitude toward work, first in Europe, and later in the New World, by viewing the work of all people- farmers, merchants, and laborers-as holy. Protestants also believed that the capacity for self-discipline was a holy characteristic blessed by God. Self-discipline was often defined as the willingness to save and invest one's money rather than spend it on immediate pleasures” (Mukhin 20).
E.g. This value is illustrated in the Tall Tale “Dungarvon Whooper” and “The Tooth War…and its aftermath”. The first tale is about the camp cook who was a jolly fellow, and quite rich for a logger. He kept his life savings in a money belt that he wore at all times.
In “The Tooth War…and its aftermath” is told about one enterprising child who is not afraid to believe in the tooth fairy if it means receiving money, she stuck it under her pillow. Obedient to custom, her father -- Tooth-fairy Tim -- did his job well, and in the morning she was richer by one dollar (American Folklore).
In these both tales the girl and the man saved their money, he did it in his belt and she under her pillow.
Money is also a part of American dream. Many settlers came to America seeking wealth and riches. It caused the myth “from rags to riches”.
According to activities of tall tale’s heroes, new settlers gained their wealth by fishing and selling what they caught. If fishing failed to produce wealth, then settlers could try farming.
Values such as individual freedom, self-reliance, equality of opportunity, hard work, and material wealth are parts of American dream.
This dream has powered the hopes and aspirations of Americans for generations.
The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. The dream of first settlers differs from modern American dream that is about of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.
The United States has always been considered a land of opportunities. Many people, from the world over, have contunied to migrate to US, in search of a better life.
(History of the American Dream,http://www.buzzle.com/articles/history-of-the-american-dream.html).
Patriotism
Today too many Americans confuse patriotism with nationalism, but these words have 2 very different meanings. Nationalism describes not a love for one's country, but a devotion to its central government. Nationalism places the collective over the individual, the State over the community, and power above liberty ( Thinking about patriotism on this "Independence Day" http://the-classic-liberal.com/american-patriotism/). And patriotism is born of American passion and love for their country. Nevertheless, patriotism is alive in America and it’s very valuable. For many Americans, it is a sense of belonging to something greater than oneself, of belonging to great nation. American patriotism is based on the ideals of liberty, unalienable rights, and equality of opportunity.
This word derived more two centuries ago in the early 1700's when America was in its earliest stages.
The desire to be free from controls was a basic value of the new nation in 1776, and it has continued to attract immigrants to the country. For settlers to be free means that there are no restrictions, no laws, and no boundaries controlling them. Essay published anonymously emphasized “Due to moving the country, between wilderness and savages, the first pioneers had to make their way alone, with rifle and axe. They had to take the law into own hands to fight against potential danger and enemies”. They were always ready to defend their right to be free. Freedom is inseparably linked with an idea of patriotism.
Tall Tales reflect the American patriotism which is based on two ideas. The creation of the United States and it’s a different dispensation. And the second is the freedom. Both notions have been distorted or perverted at times that happen with all patriotism. But even when it is misused, American patriotism remains ideological more than racial or ethnic. Whenever Americans went to war, they may have been seized by jingoism to some extent, but more than anything else Americans believed they were fighting for ideas, for a system.
Many heroes of tall tales are patriot. They struggled with national enemies and border troubles. These heroes have a special kind of power and energy to fight.
Such heroes in tall tales are presented by Bigfoot Wallace and Ethan Allen.
We both were real people. Bigfoot Wallace was a famous Texas Ranger who took part in many of the military conflicts of the Republic of Texas and the United States in the 1840s, including the Mexican-American War. About that was told In the tale “El Muerto” .Bigfoot Wallace moved from Austin to San Antonio, which was considered the extreme edge of the frontier, to sign up as a Texas Ranger under Jack Hayes. In these days, Texas was as wild as the west could get. There was danger from the south from the Mexicans, danger to the wet and north from the wild frontier filled with Indians and desperados, and to the east the settlements still had problems with the Cherokee Nation. Captain Hays raised a company of Rangers to defend San Antonio. Hayes needed a man who had to have courage, good character, good riding and shooting skills and a horse worth a hundred dollars to be considered for the job. And such man turned to be Bigfoot Wallace (American Folklore).
Bigfoot Wallace was one of few people whose accomplishments were so great, whose uncommon courage and valor were so daring.
Another American patriot is Ethan Allen. A tale which is called “Ethan Allen” gives us the following description of him. Ethan Allen, the leader of the Green Mountain Boys, who defeated the British at Fort Ticonderoga, was known as a gruff-mannered, hard-drinking man (American Folklore). In life, Ethan Allen was a controversial Revolutionary War hero that history often describes as fiercely independent, a bit crude, brash and undoubtedly, daring. Allen was no military genius, rather an overbearing, loud-mouthed braggart. He was also a staunch patriot who apparently did not know the meaning of fear (Vermont Legends, Myths, Hauntings and Ghost Stories, http://www.vermonter.com/weird-vermont.asp).
Ethan Allen and Bigfoot Wallace were real frontiersmen who fought for independence.
As another example we can take the tale “I’m All Right”. Right from the beginning Johnny was going to be a soldier. Even as a child, all his concentration was on the military. And after out of high school he joined the Marines. Johnny excelled in his chosen career. He was so happy to be serving his country. His mother was frightened by his desire to get into some “real action”. But he was a grown man with a wife and a baby. She was very proud of the way he was living his life (American Folklore).
This tall tale shows that serving the country was perceived as a great honor, and soldiers were very proud that they had such an opportunity to fulfill themselves and take part in war actions even at the cost of their own life. Their mothers had nothing to do but respect their choice.
The liberties of this country, the freedom of American civil constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is duty of American soldiers to defend them against all attacks. Patriotism is the desire to continue molding the nation as one devoted to freedom and the power of the people. Many people believe that they are patriotic. But, what truly makes one patriotic? In the late 18th century Americans personified patriotism. They took chances, formed a nation, and pledged their loyalty and lives to build the structure that it’s today called America. Patriotism today gets expressed in many ways, including through the men and women that serve the military all around the world, families that fly the American flag in front of their homes, and children who pledge to the flag in their schools. Everyday citizens exercise their right to vote for the leaders, laws, and legislation. Throughout the centuries patriotism remained strong in America as its people united with their commander in chief through America's many trials and wars such as, the Civil War, the Spanish American war, World Wars I. During those difficult times in America all Americans banded together and stood strong in unity and in their love for their country.
Freedom is not only a part of patriotism but it also allows individuality and opportunity to exist in the culture.
Family values
Family Values became a popular and political term in the late twentieth century. While it has entailed subjective meanings throughout U.S. history and contemporary usage, it can be described as a set of beliefs or morals that help provide for family unity and social interaction as well as providing for a societal view for childhood development. In November 2001 the Institute for Social Research produced a report ("Four Decades of Trends in Attitudes toward Family Issues in the United States") that combined the research of five separate studies tracking family attitudes and values back to the 1960s. The study concluded that there was increased tolerance for diversity in values and behavior outside of traditional family relationships. The values discussed included attitudes towards sex roles, divorce, cohabitation without marriage, extramarital sex, and childbearing (American Heritage Dictionary, http://www.answers.com/topic/family-values).
According to these researches, we can conclude that family values are dramatically falling. Now very few people take time in their lives to focus on family this day and age. Much time passed since the birth of new nation and many values have been changed.
Back in the colonial America a family was considerable aspect of society. Early American life is described as “family” and “community oriented.” Although usually applied to Puritanism and other immigrant groups that adhered to strict religious values.
Family values can be found in many tall tales such as Tall Tales as “The Twist-Mouth Family”, “The Greenhorn and the mule egg”, “The Talking Mule” where they are shown indirectly. Tall tales describe families, their way of living, caring for babies, doing everyday activities, etc.
“The Twist-Mouth Family” describes families of a mother, a father, and several children. Four of them had mouths that were twisted into strange shapes. The mother’s mouth was twisted up, the father’s down, the sister's mouth twisted left while the younger brother's mouth twisted right. The eldest son John's mouth was perfectly normal. He was the first person in his family to get a college education, and everyone was eager to hear what he had to say when he came home from his first vacation. Once when it came time to go to bed, mother asked father to blow out the candle as she couldn’t find the candle snuffer. But father failed to do it. The sister and younger brother did not succeed. And John blew out the candle. They all cheered. Patting John on the shoulder, the father said to his two younger children that he hoped they learned how important to be educated (American folklore).
This tall tale is about a family with three kids, two of whom were illiterate and one was educated (even though his education is shown in a very funny way). In spite of all the humor, the tall tale suggests that education was highly valued. Perhaps, the family could not afford to educate all the kids, or maybe it was that handicap (a twisted mouth) that prevented them from studying.
Americans always regarded education as the key to opportunity, including financial security.
Early institutional forms of adult learning that emerged during the colonial period were apprenticeship, private vocational schools, subscription libraries, church sponsored education programs, museums, town meetings, and agricultural societies. The man who was the first to found the first uniquely American adult education institution was Benjamin Franklin. In addition much of what children needed to learn was taught at home. Farming, hunting, building, and repairing things were considered the necessary skills for a colonial boy. Colonial girls were taught how to garden, sew, spin, cook, and care for the animals. Trades and professions were taught on the apprentice system which has been described as one of the earliest forms of adult education. Under the apprentice system, young people and adults were taught a craft or a trade by working alongside an accomplished master for a set period of time. It was not unusual to set up the apprenticeship contract to include reading and writing as part of the expected training.
In another tale “The Talking Mule” a narrator told about a farmer who owned a mule which he used for work all week. But being a Church-going man, he let the mule rest on Sunday. But one Sunday he asked his son to saddle it as he was going to the funeral. He sent his son to do it. Some minutes later the son ran to the house shouting that the mule had told him that it wouldn’t work on Sunday. The most shocking thing was that the mule could talk like a man. When the son told the father about it, the farmer sent the boy to his room for talking crazy and went out to saddle the mule himself. When he heard the mule, the dog and the cat talk, he couldn’t believe his ears (American folklore).
Here we can observe the son and the father engaged in everyday activity – saddling their mule. Since early childhood the father had taught his son to help the elders involving him in a task-oriented work. Moreover, the father is described as a church-going man, and piety was believed to be one of the values.
In these two Tall Tales we see that the early family structure is formed by a husband and wife to be society’s most fundamental. The dominant family system of the late 18th century consists of colonial family ideology. The husband was the head of the family and the woman had been subordinate. The man must govern his wife carefully and properly. We can observe that early families have average 6 to 8 kids, with the wife giving birth almost every other year until menopause.
Each family member participates in task-oriented work that signifies a respect to all members of family. Children, who are considered the responsibility of the family, have a short childhood ending at about the age of seven where they are then integrated into appropriate task-oriented roles. Families also require the support of children; boys help with fieldwork and girls with taking care of younger siblings.
The families also have warm, comforting feelings about their home. The home is not only the emotional center of a family but also serves as a workplace, hospital, school, vocational training institute, old age home, and a place of worship.
These two families lived in rural areas because farming proved necessities due to the large number of people required to operate a plantation, jobs were plentiful, and it explains why farmer typically had large numbers of children.
In “Greenhorn and the Mule Egg” also is told about a family that got real tied about working in the big city and one day a father quit his job, packed up his wife and kiddies, and hi-tailed it out to Kansas to become a farmer. Bought a big parcel of land with a grand old barn and some fields just ready to plow and plant (American folklore).
In this tall tale we see that the family move from one city to village. It’s probably that the father in such way tries to solve some problems, and the moving is a decision. They move in an urban area for a better future. Here we can observe American values mobility. Moving about from place to place is such a common and accepted practice that most Americans take it for granted that they may live in four or five cities during their lifetime. Americans hate to feel that buying a house might immobilize them forever (America in-closed up).
The main purpose of the American family of these days is to bring about the happiness of each individual family member. The traditional family values include love and respect for parents, as well as for all members of the family.
As we can see that American family values of the formation of new nation are revealed in tall tales. And many of them have been absorbed into modern American family structure.
The basic things like giving respect to elders, politeness, having belief in god, and speaking the truth are the morals which need to be followed at modern American society.
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