The definition of a true American. It can’t be found in any text, the possibilities are too vast. There are those who consider place of birth and citizenship, those who feel that residency is the only factor, and there are some that will not make a judgment unless an entire life is laid out. The definition is simpler than many people will choose to admit. John “Duke” Wayne once stated,”A man’s got to have a code, a creed to live by, no matter his job (Pilar Wayne, vii).” To Wayne, that creed meant living his life as someone who would represent America well. That is the mind set of a red blooded American. John Wayne epitomized a true American by his concrete ideals regarding integrity and leading an good life along with his unconditional love for America.
John Wayne was constantly asked of his basic philosophy on life, to which he always responded with advice he received from his father. “1) Always keep your word. 2) A gentleman never insults anybody intentionally. 3) Don’t go around looking for trouble but if you get into a fight, make sure you win it. (Eyles, 11)” The words were simple and true, and seemed present in Wayne’s actions and speech throughout his life. He was patient with fans, even through provocation from them. His image on screen shown through to his personal life when he would talk about “having a good horse under you…the sound of a kid calling you Dad for the first time…(Eyles, 12)”. John Wayne was the ideal American, full of strengths, weaknesses, and national pride.
The Essay on On the Meaning of Life – John Cottingham
What is our relationship with the universe – who are we and how did we come to be seems to be the ultimate question of the meaning of life. This question has always sparked powerful debates between the views of the religious and modern science. Many believe this topic is a one-sided issue where these views cannot co-exist with one another, either one’s a theist, believing in God as the soul ...
John Wayne’s love for America was a known fact. He said at a Republican convention,” I am proud of every day in my life I wake up in the United States of America (Eyles, 11).” Such an outward expression of patriotism lent support to those who were in doubt, Communism was a large issue in American society and Wayne opposed it completely. He did not want to see the America that he loved fall into any state of anarchy and this public display of his affection for America was admirable and right. This adoration also showed in Wayne’s movies. After making the Alamo, Wayne told the press,”I hope that seeing the Battle of the Alamo will remind Americans that liberty and freedom don’t come cheap. I hope our children will get a sense of our glorious past, and appreciate the struggle our ancestors made for the precious freedoms we now enjoy and sometimes just kind of take for granted (Aissa Wayne, 45).”
Throughout his life, John Wayne never ceased to be thankful for the privilege of living in America. He always knew the responsibility he held to America, to represent her well in all situations. He was known as a true American, before and after the day he died from lung cancer. The day that Japanese newspapers read: Mr. America is dead.
Works Sited
Eyles, Allen. John Wayne And The Movies. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1976.
Wayne, Aissa. John Wayne: My Father. New York: Random House, 1991.
Wayne, Pilar. John Wayne: My Life With The Duke. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1987.
