Page 240 - A Handbook Genre Studies in Mass Media

MYTHIC APPROACH

by telling stories that promote the prevailing standards of success and
failure within the culture. Whether or not a cultural myth is true, it often
assumes a mythic reality over time, as it is told and retold in popular
genres. The appeal of many genres can be tied to the reinforcement of
cultural myths. To illustrate, author Mark Bennett discusses how 1950s
sitcoms influenced his own upbringing.

TV families looked so supportive. I didn’t have a lot of nurturing, so I
thought of TV as a safe place. The Cleavers’ Mayfield wasn’t just safe, it
seemed perfect to a lonely Tennessee kid who never felt like he fit in. We
didn’t have nice crossing Guards with white gloves directing brand-new
gleaming cars. There was no Eddie or Lumpy. That was what I wanted.
Those were the friends I wanted. 18

Many cultural myths revolve around the following aspects of a cultural
experience.

Historical Period

Some cultural myths focus on particular historical periods. For instance,
the Western genre perpetuates the Myth of the American Frontier. This
myth chronicles the settling of the American West. The Western myth is
also rooted in a particular time—between 1865 (the end of the American
Civil War) and 1890—even though significant events certainly occurred
before and after this artificial time frame.
The plots of the Western genre revolve around the following stages in
the development of the American frontier by Western Europeans:

• Native American tribes
• The first wave of pioneers
Frontiersmen (hunters and trappers) in the wilderness
Early towns
• The building of the railroad
• Law and order
Outlaws
Gunmen
Imposition of justice
The lawman (marshal or sheriff)
Cavalry

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