Assignment 1-5

Randall Watson

Latoya Moody

Assignment 1-5

For background purposes, a myth is a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon (Merriam-Webster, 2009, para 1). In addition, there are three main forms of myths: the supernatural, the secular, and a combination of the two (Browne, 2005, p 13, para 3). Noteworthy myths of the 1900 - 1920 time period include Gene Autry, Zorro, The Newton Boys, and Molly Brown.

Orvon Gene Autry is also known as “Oklahoma’s Singing Cowboy”. Autry gained an interest in music early in life in part because of his mother and grandfather. Later in life Autry paired up with Smiley Burnette for a string of radio and film performances. He played a prominent role in the creation of the American rodeo industry. Autry played in films such as In Old Santa Fe, Mystery Mountain, and The Phantom Empire. Berwyn, Oklahoma even changed their name in 1941 to acknowledge Autry’s celebrity status; Gene Autry, Oklahoma (Mythical West, 2001, p 21, para 1).

The Legend of Zorro came about on August 9, 1919 and was spawned from the “The Curse of Capistrano” (Mythical West, 2001, p 394, para 1). Johnston McCulley, the creator of Zorro, may have adapted his character from another legendary bandit, Joaquín Murieta (Mythical West, 2001, p 394, para 2). The character was later seen in movies such as The Bold Caballero and Mark of Zorro.

Willis, Dock, Jess, and Joe Newton were known for robbing over sixty banks and six trains from 1919 to 1924 (Mythical West, 2001, p 248, para 1). Their largest robbery turned out to be their last. A secret mail train carrying over three million dollars in diamonds and negotiable bonds was to arrive in Roundout, Illinois on June 12, 1924. A person working for the U.S. Post office gave the Newton Boys information on when that train was to arrive (Mythical West, 2001, p 249, para 5). Their acts made them the most successful thieves in American history. However, there were so many other successful criminals of that time that the Newton Boys are not immortalized like Bonnie and Clyde, or Al Capone.

Molly, or Maggie Brown, was one of the most popular survivors of the Titanic, which sunk in 1912. Films and plays were created because of her survival of the sinking; The Unsinkable Molly Brown, and Titanic. The sinking of the Titanic supposedly wasn’t Brown’s first near-death experience; as a child, while floating down the Mississippi River, she was nearly drowned when a cyclone hit her raft (Mythical West, 2001, p 55 para 2). Brown’s importance in American history and mythology portrays the country’s strong-willed spirit (Mythical West, 2001, p 55 para 1).

Reference

Browne, R. B. (2005). Profiles of popular culture: A reader. Madison, WI: The University of

Wisconsin Press.

Myth. (2009). Merriam Webster Online. Retrieved July 10, 2009, from http://www.merriam

webster.com/dictionary/myth

The mythical west: an encyclopedia of legend, lore, and popular culture. (2001). Ohio Link

Scholarly and Reference E-Books. Retrieved July 11, 2009, from Folklore, Mythology,

and Literature: Electronic Reference Books database.