The Pilgrims Fathers

Résumé du document

Show how the Pilgrims fathers and the myth of thanksgiving are related to the myths and heroes theme?

Extraits

[...] This year, we studied the theme of myths and heroes in class. Heroes are defined as extra-ordinary people, that is to say, individuals who distinguish themselves from the vast majority through their actions and behavior. In a way, they are much stronger or achieve greater things. If they do good, they are heroes; if they do harm, they are called anti-heroes. As time passes, the reality transforms into a vague and twisted but vibrant myth that belongs to the collective imagi-nary, until either it falls into oblivion or historians bend on it without bias and start debunking it. [...]

[...] We should start explaining who the Pilgrims were and what they did before sailing west. Seventeenth-century England began with the end of Queen Elizabeth's Protestant reign and the accession to the throne of King James I (VI of Scotland) the Catholic. This era was troubled with religious wars and fanaticism that persecuted minorities, as well as natural disasters and phenomenon that sparked superstition and wrought material havoc, such as epidemics, climate swings, a tidal cataclysm and, on top of that, a cosmic event. [...]

[...] Yet, the hosts were not thanked as deserved. This is funnily represented in a cartoon from the famous Cagle Cartoons website, where the guests depart from the Indian's company without helping to dish out and leaving only a carcass and a check, which by the way could be totally dud. So dud that it pushed the Natives to some sort of civilizational bankruptcy. The continental catastrophe was not the sole fault of the Pilgrims, since it started long before, since 1492, and continued during the westward expansion. [...]

[...] does, especially in its patriotic films: this should be up to spectators. And truth be told, the world sees clear that the country pretends a lot but is much unable to support itself. It rather needs wars and economic predation to keep afloat. We may wonder if this herald of "freedom for itself", a good talker, a clay-footed giant, is worthy of its land. To enter the Kingdom of God, one had better be innocent, but taking the Native cherubs for savage demons was an inversion of values, and killing them and spoiling Eden's purity, an evil enterprise. [...]

[...] The conditions were harsh, since they landed in winter, in a region known for its heavy snowfalls and very low temperature. Even though they could complete construction in barely three months, they faced a heavy death toll as half of the group passed away, probably those who had been weakened by sickness. Besides, even though the continent was considered a holy land, with lush vegetation, pristine waters are resourceful in game, the Pilgrims had to fear the Indian menace and were clueless regarding edible food. [...]