3.Philbrick shows us that many of the classic images that shape our current view of the Pilgrims—from Plymouth Rock to the usual iconography of the first Thanksgiving—have been highly fictionalized. Why has America forsaken the truth about these times in exchange for a misleading and often somewhat hokey mythology?
Human beings like to believe what they want to believe and a clean cut, pretty version of the Pilgrims is much more attractive than a rough, dirty reality. Then America, filled with human beings (obviously), would be inclined to follow this pattern. This pattern is clearly seen in popular cutlure and fashion and now in history. It is really easy to claim hertiage to something more attractive than to something unpleasing to the senses and that is why history can and has been changed: to fit in with the culture at the time. How knows; maybe someday people will be more attracted to historical accuracy.
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