Key Concepts

Mythologizing Native American as a Part of American National Mythology

Unit 3

George Washington and the Cherry Tree

When George was about six years old, he was made the wealthy master of a hatchet (сокира), of which, like most little boys, he was extremely fond. He went about chopping everything that came his way.

One day, as he wandered about the garden amusing himself by hacking his mother’s pea sticks, he found a beautiful, young English cherry tree, of which his father was most proud. He tried the edge of his hatchet on the trunk of the tree and barked it so that it died.

Some time after this, his father discovered what had happened to his favorite tree. He came into the house in great anger, and demanded to know who the mischievous person was who had cut away the bark. Nobody could tell him anything about it.

Just then George, with his little hatchet, came into the room.

“George,” – said his father, “do you know who has killed my beautiful little cherry tree yonder in the garden? I would not have taken five guineas for it!”

This was a hard question to answer, and for a moment George was staggered by it, but quickly recovering himself he cried:

“I cannot tell a lie, father, you know I cannot tell a lie! I did cut it with my little hatchet!!

The anger died out of his father’s face, and taking the boy tenderly in his arms, he said:

“My son, that you should not be afraid to tell the truth is more to me than a thousand trees! Yes – though they were blossomed with silver and had leaves of the purest gold!”

Assignments.1. Find out about the suggested origins of the word “yankee” and its meanings.

2. Summarize Ukrainian texts in English.

Main Idea: extermination and exploitation of America’s aboriginal population was coupled with intensive mythologizing of Amerindians

Main Issues:

- Native American as embodiment of “natural man”

- actual encounters with Indian Other in the New World and their re-interpretations in mind and culture

- forming and perpetuating stereotypical figures of “noble” and “ferocious/cruel” savage

- Native American as a metaphor of freedom

- Native American as a metaphor of America’s past

- mythologizing Indian spirituality, their specific links with nature

v (Red)Indian, Amerindian, Native American – індіанець

v encounter of civilizations – зустріч цивілізацій

v Pocahontas myth – міфологізована історія Покахонтас

v League of Five Nations – Спілка п’яти племен (1745 – Iroquois; Mohawk; Oneida; Onondaga; Cayuga; Seneca)

v vanishing race – раса, що зникає

v genocide – геноцид

v reservation – резервація

v cruel savage – “жорстокий дикун”

v noble savage – “шляхетний дикун”

v spirituality – духовність

v “captivity narratives” – “історії про полон”

v “trail of tears” – “дорога сліз”.

Дата добавления: 2015-06-27