Myths and heroes : How is this road a legend for Americans ?

Miths and hereos

I’m going to introduce the notion of myths and heroes. To define what a myth is, it’s a fiction story to tell the story of a hero. A hero is a character who has an important role or a real character. He embodies values such as honour, service, generosity and has both physical and moral qualities.To talk about the notion of myths and Heroes, I will present the history of Route 66. How is this road a legend for Americans ? First, we will see the timetable of the road, then we will study John Steinbeck’s book. Then we will observe Route 66 nowadays.

        To begin with, the history and legend of Route 66 began in the early 1920s. At that time, America was entering a period of “depression,” more commonly known as the Dust Bowl. The most important economic trough of the last century: deflation, explosion of unemployment, reforms of the State more and more strict. But the Americans have a single motto: “moving forward”: rebuilding the country, creating projects to redevelop the economy. For this, ten years of work were necessary, to see emerge in 1937, Route 66 and its 4,000km long to connect the East and West of the United States. The first transcontinental asphalt road in America that crosses 8 states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and finally California but also 3 time zones. This road is bordered by gigantic cities, nature reserves, cactus deserts, mountains, the ocean as far as the eye can see, not to mention the large lakes and the long rivers. Those who marched along Route 66, passed from one kilometre to the next in front of almost unreal landscapes or even unusual characters. They also had motels and fast food.

        Furthermore,  literature has also spoken extensively about this route: John Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Anger”. In a poignant sociological testimony, the author takes part in the difficult life of the workers and farmers of the American West during the Great Depression who, in order to escape poverty, went into exile, via the mythical Route 66! There is also a movement that highlighted “Popular America” that Borda Route 66 in the 1960s, I mean of course the “Beat Generation”. The Beat Generation was a group of authors whose literature explored and influenced American culture in the post Second World War era. Jack Kerouac introduced the phrase "Beat Generation" in 1948 to characterize a perceived underground, anti-conformist youth movement in New York.  They were defending the freedom of sex, homosexuality and therefore were considered shocking for most American people. They were shaking American conservative values and standards.

However, today, although the most emblematic route in the United States no longer officially exists since its decommissioning in 1985, its myth continues to seduce adventurers from all over the world. In fact, the sign indicating the historic beginning of Route 66 in Chicago, Illinois, has become a place of pilgrimage, as well as the ultimate stage of its journey in Santa Monica, California. If Route 66 no longer really exists today, brown and white signs marked “Historic Route 66” indicate it throughout the route. Sometimes it’s even on the ground directly that you’ll read “Route 66”. Thanks to this, Mother Road has a second existence with thereopening or upgrading many motels, restaurants and cafes.

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