Archive for the ‘American History’ tag
American Mythology Takes A Hit – Casey Jones or Thomas The Tank Engine.
When American kids thinks of trains…
…do they think of this?
Engine 382, where Casey Jones had his Finest Hour. It lives in Tennessee.
….or this?
Thomas, based on an English Suburban Locomotive
I’m afraid it’s the latter.
I know an awful lot about Thomas the Tank Engine. I make it my business to know in detail what my children are interested in, and my son’s choo-choo obsession is no exception. He loves Thomas, the anthropamorphic tale of railroad life on the mythical Island of Sodor. He was also very impressed when last week we visited a great railroad museum just west of downtown Los Angeles. It was there that I realized a small cultural tragedy had taken place. Read the rest of this entry »
