Notion Bac : Myths and heroes (Term ES/S)

Myths and heroes

Today, I am going to talk about the notion of myths and heroes. First of all, I would like to give you a definition of the keywords. A myth can be defined as a story about gods or heroes. It can be a popular belief or a tradition. A hero can be a mythological figure, a person who is admired for his or her achievement, a superhero or maybe a role model or an icon.

To illustrate this notion, I will talk about guns in the United States. Indeed, gun culture is very important in the US identity and has shaped (to shape = former) the history of the US. But how has gun culture drifted over the past century? (to drift = dériver, déraper)

With my first document, I am going to show how guns have shaped (to shape = former) the history of America thanks to the figure of the Frontiersman (the cow boy). Then I am going to show with my second document why gun culture has drifted far and finally I will speak about the future of gun culture.

I- Why have guns shaped the history of America ?

So my first document, which dates from 1885, shows a Frontiersman. It is a man who lived on the Frontier during the Western conquest. These men have shaped the country by settling in the West. They were considered as heroes because they fought the wilderness in the West and built a new world. The figure of the Frontiersman has nourished a lot of myths for example western movies in the 20th century.

In this picture, we can see that the man is holding a rifle (un fusil) proudly ( fièrement). Like a trophy or an accessory. Guns were a means of self defence for all Frontiersmen. To defend themselves from danger, from the wilderness, to go hunting. It was a necessary tool to settle in the west and shape the country.

II- But why has it drifted ?

My second document shows that things have changed. This caricature shows a man holding an automatic gun with smoke coming out of it. It is probably a mass killer who has just killed many people. The gun is described as the symptom (symptôme) and the man as the disease(maladie). Now guns are considered as a means of assault, of attacking (un moyen d’attaque). It is used to kill the masses. The number of mass shootings is rising : there have been 307 mass shootings in 2017 in the US. 88% of the population own a gun and anybody can have one. You do not need to be fit to carry one or to have a licence.

III- What future for gun culture ?

Gun culture has created a culture of gun violence in the US even in schools. But American people are still (encore) attached to their guns and their liberties. The 2nd amendment which permits people to bear a gun cannot be infringed (violé).

My last document is an article from the Los Angeles Times from November 2017, after the mass shooting in Las Vegas. It shows that even now (même maintenant), the Senate agrees with giving more freedom to gun owners (propriétaires) in the future because the NRA (National Rifle Association) is supporting Trump and the Republicans. It’s a lobby.

CCL People still believe that only a good guy with a gun can stop a bad guy with a gun. But after a mass shooting in Virginia this year, young people have demonstrated (manifesté) in Washington. So we can link all this to the notion idea of progress : what is the best for the

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