American Icons
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Icons are symbols or representations of values that transmit culture. Icons can be people, places, or things, such as movie stars John Wayne and Sylvester Stallone to Disneyland, McDonaldÆs and the Statue of Liberty. As Kroes (1999) argues, ôFrom the high rhetoric of its political ideals to the golden glow of McDonaldÆs arches, from Bruce Springsteen to the Marlboro Man, American culture washes across the globeö (464). Hollywood cinema is responsible for the creation and transmission of national icons that have transmitted American culture (i.e. values) around the globe. From John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe, and Ronald Reagan to Elvis Presley, Sylvester Stallone and Clint Eastwood, cinema stars embody the values of American society that are transmitted to cultures around the world. Simpson (2004) argues that a ônational iconö is someone who ôby the mere mention of their name, will remind people of their countryàthey are representatives of their nation to the rest of the worldö (1). Film stars like Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne and countless others have served such roles. Over time as cultural values change so do the cinema icons that embody them. HollywoodÆs initial cinema icons embodied frontier values. One of the most successful of these was John Wayne. WayneÆs success stems from his purposeful choice of roles that portrayed him embodying heroic values. Never mean, petty or cowardly, WayneÆs sc
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turned to obstinate commercialism, he showed the world what America was all aboutö (2). Ironically, Reagan was not only an American icon but he was greatly influenced by other cinematic icons. His favorite actor was John Wayne, another staunch anti-communist. Reagan visited his birthplace and often informed White House visitors that Wayne ôunderstood what the American spirit was all aboutö (Grenier 1996, 85).
During the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, America underwent enormous changes. While many of the core values associated with American democracy did not change, the cinema icons that embodied them did. Clint EastwoodÆs cowboys and law enforcement officers showed the tough integrity that helped forge AmericaÆs position as the worldÆs greatest superpower. His Dirty Harry roles cemented his iconographic status in American society and around the world. When Ronald Reagan became president, he used to quote lines from EastwoodÆs roles to convey American determination, like ôGo ahead, make my day.ö During the Watergate crisis, American ideals were challenged. Film icons like Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford portrayed roles that showed the principles of American democracy triumphant. As Quart and Auster (2001) maintain of their
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Approximate Word count = 1217
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)
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