We all have our own identities, which can be interpreted as simply as our name. Even if we delve as deeply as to include our likes and dislikes, or our opinions on world matters, we are still all tethered to our country. No matter how different I am from anyone I meet on a standard day, they are all British, as I am. Of course, when we actually live in the country that we are seen as originating from, it can be difficult to say 'I'm British because...'
As it seems relevant to our study of John Cheever and what it is to be American, I'm going to mention my three cousins. They were born in the UK, but at a young age moved over to the USA. I see them about once every two years, and I often forget that they once were 'British'. It often makes me wonder; what would I have been like today if my family had moved to the USA when I could barely walk? I'd consider myself American, and I'd probably find the concept of tea and scones quite alien (Not that these two things define us, of course.) One of my cousins still supports England in the World Cup, so does she consider herself British at heart? It's something we can't really comprehend: spending our childhood in another country.
When reading 'Goodbye, my Brother' by Cheever, I found myself creating my standard compilation of 'My America'. As I've never ventured over to that side of the globe, It fell to my imagination, along with clips from films, to create my mental image of where the story was based. It's interesting to think what Americans would have in their mind's eye when armed with a British novel and memories of Notting Hill or Johnny English. Maybe I need to go and visit my cousins and shatter my imagined/film inspired USA!
I think the problem with things like Johnny English and Notting Hill - and equally American counterparts like the 'Bring It On' films or even Glee - is that they portray an exaggerated envisioning of America and Britain. I've never been to the States, although I would love to, but my impression of what life over there is like is based on what I've seen represented on the TV or what I've read in books or articles. It's all based on some apects of the truth, but blown up and contorted to make entertainment. Not all Americans are fat, or 'preppy' or dumb or rude, but they are freqently portaryed as such to keep up with the stereotype. Same as not all British people are avid tea drinkers (unfortunately) or scone-obsessed (unfortunately) or ridiculously polite (unfortuantely) or pompous (fortunately). An interesting piece Tomlin - especially the bit about your cousins. It made me think of Steven Fry's 'In America' - he talks about how he was very nearly born in America, and how different he would be if he were an American. Thankfully he's British (Yay!) but anyways.
ReplyDeleteActually, and I hate to dispel any fantasies, but what surprised me when I went to the States was how much it WAS like what I'd seen in films. I didn't get to travel much, but the college environment was scarily like what you see in films and on TV. I'd like to go back and see the real America, but the college campus was worryingly stereotypical. I was, for the first time in my life, actually glad to be British (I'm not usually unhappy to British, it's just not something I think about) but my humour and dark personality didn't go down well over there. I'm not saying that all Americans are preppy and happy, but a lot of them on the campus were. It was quite unnerving, actually.
ReplyDeleteYou should go to America Tomlin but beware the vegetable does not exist there...and yeah actually I agree with Lesley when i've been there it was like a film set; the cars, the neatly done lawns though saying that I did go to Universal Studios which actually is a film set but anyway yeah it does look like a cliche in some parts, but maybe thats just the way we're seeing things! Im sure Winchester looks like a massive cliche to them but to us maybe we are so used to seeing tea shops, medieval buildings etc that we just accept it as part of the scenery. Anyway im digressing mmm the American Tomlin...any thoughts? :D
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