The American Flag

Paper Summary:

The paper refers to the essay "And our Flag was Still There" by Barbara Kingsolver who explores what the American flag represents to different people. The paper explains that the flag is perceived as a religious icon, utilized to display proud patriotism or to represent anger and the need for change, and also represents the myth of Manifest Destiny and the myth of freedom. Additionally, the paper shows how the flag is like a propaganda tool that has been used in many settings and can mean whatever the American people believe it to mean.

From the Paper:

"The flag is the most powerful symbol of patriotism for any country, and especially for the United States because the American flag is recognizable anywhere. With its stars and stripes speaking about the history of the nation, the flag sums up what it means to be an American. Therefore, when a person looks at the flag or flies one in their yard or from their car, the person is saying, "I am proud to be an American." The flag equals patriotism. At the same time, the flag means whatever the individual wants it to mean. A person can burn the flag at a political protest to show disgust or disappointment with American policy. Or, as Barbara Kingsolver explains, the American flag can be used for political reasons such as to symbolize the war on terror. Because the American flag can mean anything the person wants it to mean, it remains the most important and most flexible national symbols. The flag can represent proud patriotism or it can represent anger and the need for change."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Atwood, Margaret. "A Letter to America." Published on Friday, April 4, 2003 by the International Herald Tribune. Retrieved July 29, 2008 from http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0404-07.htm
• Kingsolver, Barbara. "And Our Flag Was Still There." Published on Tuesday, September 25, 2001 in the San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved July 29, 2008 from Common Dreams at http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0925-08.htm
• Streufert, Duane. "Evolution of the United States Flag." Evolution of the United States Flag. Retrieved July 29, 2008 from http://www.usflag.org/history/flagevolution.html

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