The story in the film took place during the "Westward Movement" period in the United States, when a large number of Western "pioneers" emerged in the United States during that period. As a Chinese, I have a little understanding of this period of American history, so I would like to talk about the influence of the spirit left by these "pioneers" on Americans today in conjunction with the film.
"Pioneering Spirit"
At the beginning of the film, a group of people riding horses and driving cars to the untapped west of the United States. With a dream, they look for a "land of no owner", plant their flag there, and become there. "king".
Such a thing cannot happen in any other country in this world. In other countries, the "old nobles" control the land. If other people want to get the land, they must either follow the "old nobles" rules of the game or use violence to become the "new nobles." However, Americans during the "Westward Movement" period only need a "pioneering spirit" and a banner to get a piece of land of their own, even though this piece of land may have belonged to Indians.
"Thousands of tall buildings rise from the ground." These Americans with "pioneering spirit" got their own land and built a whole new world with their own hands. The "states" of the United States of America came into being. Today, there is no land that can be exploited on the North American continent, but the "pioneering spirit" has been passed down. This kind of spirit supports many Americans in promoting the construction of the country, and this "pioneering spirit" is derived from Americans yearn for "freedom".
"Civilization" and "Heroism"
The movie's protagonist, Yang Xi, is one of them. He gave up his family business and carried his "pioneering spirit", dragging his family to the western United States to create his own new career. Although there are many opportunities in the American West at this time, it is also full of dangers. Many bandits and ruffians are eyeing the pockets of these "Western Trailblazers," including Yancy's friends. What’s interesting is that these bandits and the gangsters and the "Western Trailblazers" are all under the banner of "freedom", but they pointed their guns at the "owners", so they were marked like the Indians. Branded "Barbarians". As a pioneer of "civilization", Yangxi used his own wisdom and brilliant marksmanship to kill the ruffians and drove away the bandits. Although these people included his former friends, Yangxi was determined and became the whole town. Human hero.
When Americans create a "civilization", they will always encounter resistance from "barbarians". Therefore, Americans are eager for "heroes" and for a "hero" who can stand with them to help them repel "barbarians." , Create a "civilization". In the United States at that time, there were countless heroes like Yancey. After their efforts, these "barbaric" lawbreakers and Indian civilization disappeared under the wave of the "Westward Movement".
Today, bandits and Indians are no longer a threat to Americans, but Americans still long for "heroes" because they always long for "freedom" and "civilization."
"Faith" and "Tolerance"
In addition to creating wealth, the pioneers in the "Westward Movement" did not forget to perfect their spiritual life. The ancestors of Americans are Europeans, and most Europeans believe in God, but people in different countries and people have different understandings of God. Therefore, "Protestantism", "Judaism", "Catholicism", "Orthodox Church" and so on are different. Zong Sect, these people from different Zong Sects debated and even killed each other in order to declare their orthodox status, but they still couldn't tell the difference between right and wrong.
But when the descendants of these Europeans came to the North American continent, they suddenly became united, holding hands to create wealth together. In the movie, people from different ethnic groups and beliefs gathered together to listen to the sermon of the protagonist, Yangxi, and generously donated money to an unbuilt church. At this time, the American people urgently need to unite and create a homeland together, and they also urgently need a spiritual support. In the face of a happy life, what kind of "God" is no longer important, and the estrangement that belongs to the ancestors is no longer important.
Today, "May God bless you." has become the mantra of successive US presidents. The practical meaning of this sentence is actually no different from "Good luck.", but this sentence contains the power of "tolerance." On behalf of the U.S. government, it respects everyone’s beliefs and supports Americans’ beliefs. Faith is no longer a “yoke” in the United States, but a “freedom”.
"Zhongzuqishi" and "xing otherqishi"
Although Americans are not like their ancestors who killed each other because of "belief," they have targeted people of different colors. At that time, most Americans were white people. They claimed to be "civilized people." In their eyes, the Hei and Indians were no different from the bandits who robbed them of money. The male protagonist Yangxi seems to be a "civilized man" who does not regard others as qi, but when hei family Ding wants to participate in evangelistic activities with Yangxi, Yangxi uses fancy words to drive him away. When Indians participate in evangelistic activities , Yancy also deprived them of the right to donate with rhetoric. Although Yancy would grieve for the death of Hei's family Ding and speak for the Indians who lost their land, but in his bones he despised them.
Then there is the attitude of Yancy to his wife. Although Yancy keeps saying that he loves his wife, he always abandons his wife and son for his own dreams. Suddenly ran out for five years, regardless of his wife and children. When he came back, he stood on the opposite side of his wife and went to help a prostitute in a lawsuit. In the process of litigating a prostitute, he could not only speak out the prostitute skillfully. In the past, I can also tell the teenage memories of the neighbor’s eldest sister. This has to make me suspect that Yangxi may have an improper relationship with many women in the town.
In Yanxi's eyes, his wife is only an accessory to him, and everyone else is only worthy of his sympathy. To this day, "zhong qi shi" and "xing qi shi" are still common in the United States. Back then, the United States was founded by a group of white zhong men. Their superiority in their bones was in pursuit of "civilization" and "freedom." It was left behind by time, and this sense of superiority was passed on to their next generations. This may be the price of "American freedom."
"Freedom of Speech" and "Progress"
Although Yancy has his limitations, as a newspaper editor, he can be described as jealous. The editorials he published contained "progressive" thoughts. When he first arrived in the small town, he bravely exposed the local riffraff's evil deeds. When the Indians were oppressed, he bravely stood up to speak for them. Perhaps when Yancy made these remarks, He speaks from the perspective of a "superior", but this does not prevent these remarks from being loud and loud.
To this day, there are still countless people who dare to speak like Yancey, who silently influence the development of American society. At the end of the film, Yancy’s wife became a U.S. Federal Member and his son married an Indian girl. This is the motivation created by "free speech" for a country.
"Zi capitalism"
Yancy’s ending was very tragic. He was always reluctant to go with the rich and turned into a homeless man. In the end, he was bombed to death to protect the oil workers. His daughter married a much older than her for a better life. Rich man.
This is a reflection left by the director to Americans today. When the times change, the "heroes" of the past can no longer stand in the society. The mainstream of society has changed from "doing your own hands and having enough food and clothing" to "the rich can make ghosts persevere." Is this right or wrong?
The question left by the director in 1931 is still unanswered, but the spirit left by the American "pioneers" at that time has a real impact on Americans today. I very much agree with our country's translation of the name of this movie. Although American "pioneers" like Yanxi have long ceased to exist due to changes in the times, their longing for freedom has gone forever.
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