University of New Mexico UNM Digital Repository American Studies ETDs Electronic Theses and Dissertations 8-19-2011 Imagining the Saints: Representations of Mormonism in American Culture Jeremy R. Ricketts Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/amst_etds Part of the American Studies Commons Recommended Citation Ricketts, eJ remy R.. "Imagining the Saints: Representations of Mormonism in American Culture." (2011). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/amst_etds/37 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Electronic Theses and Dissertations at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in American Studies ETDs by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Jeremy R. Ricketts Candidate American Studies Departmelll This dissertation is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and form for publication: Approved by the Dissertation Commillee: , Chairperson Alex Lubin, PhD &/I ;Se, tJ_ ,1-t C- 02-s,) Lori Beaman, PhD ii IMAGINING THE SAINTS: REPRESENTATIONS OF MORMONISM IN AMERICAN CULTURE BY JEREMY R. RICKETTS B. A., English and History, University of Memphis, 1997 M.A., University of Alabama, 2000 M.Ed., College Student Affairs, 2004 DISSERTATION Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy American Studies The University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico May 2011 iii ©2011, Jeremy R. Ricketts iv DEDICATION To my family, in the broadest sense of the word v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation has been many years in the making, and would not have been possible without the assistance of many people. My dissertation committee has provided invaluable guidance during my time at the University of New Mexico (UNM). My chair, Professor Rebecca Schreiber, has ably directed my course of study from the moment I matriculated at UNM. Her thoughtful critiques on each chapter of this dissertation profoundly shaped the end result. Professor A. Gabriel Meléndez’s courses on autobiography and film theory influenced much of my writing, and his feedback was always on point. I have had many fruitful conversations with Professor Alex Lubin that helped shape my dissertation, particularly in the early chapters. Professor Lori Beaman graciously came on the committee midway through the process to provide expert insight on Mormonism. Her comments often led me in ways I had not considered that helped strengthen and hone my arguments. Each committee member graciously listened to my ideas, read my words, and offered significant advice that led to this completed project. Professor Ferenc M. Szasz was also a very important part of this committee, and before his untimely passing he contributed a great deal to this project—it would not have been possible without him, and his presence is sorely missed. There are several people at UNM who I could not have completed this dissertation without. Dee Dee Lopez in the English department has been an amazing source for anything and everything UNM and beyond since day one, and also a friend. Sandy Rodrigue in American Studies has made the impossible possible on many occasions and has helped me navigate so much of graduate school. Chuck Paine, Rich Wood, Laura Valdez, Gerald Vizenor, Marina Peters-Newell, Dottie Webb, and Erin Duddy have vi helped me in too many ways to count, and I am in their debt. Both the American Studies and English departments at UNM have aided in my growth as a scholar in many ways, and I thank the faculty, staff, and my fellow graduate students in those departments. I utilized several archives during my research, and each repository had welcoming, knowledgeable, and helpful staff. The (Latter-day Saint) Church History Library and Archives, the Utah State Historical Society, and the archives at Brigham Young University, Utah State University, and the University of Utah all housed excellent and important sources. A special thank you goes to Bill Slaughter at the Church History Library and Archives who took time out of his busy day to meet with me about pertinent sources and also secured access to several very rare texts. The Office of Graduate Studies at UNM provided much-appreciated funding for travel to these archives. Many colleagues have become friends throughout this journey, and I sincerely thank all of my friends from Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, New Mexico, and elsewhere. There are too many to mention them all, but here at UNM Adam Bubb, Paul Formisano, Lindsey Ives, Stacey Kikendall, Christine Kozikowski, and Carolyn McSherry provided key help and a shoulder to lean on during the process of completing my dissertation. Special thanks go to Leigh Johnson—I could not have done it without her and Saggio’s. The rest of you know who you are, and I will never forget your friendship these past years, and I look forward to the future as well. My family has been along for the entire odyssey, and I thank them for everything. My parents, Albert and Christy, have given me all kinds of support over the years and a place to always call home. My sister and brother, Amanda and Travis, have provided me with welcome breaks during holidays and several wonderful memories. I am also vii perpetually grateful to my extended family in Tennessee and Georgia for all of their encouragement over the years. Finally, without the support of Michaelann Nelson, this project would not have been as rewarding as it was. Her luminous demeanor never failed to brighten each day and remind me what all the hard work was for. She remains in all things my guiding light. viii IMAGINING THE SAINTS: REPRESENTATIONS OF MORMONISM IN AMERICAN CULTURE BY JEREMY R. RICKETTS ABSTRACT OF THESIS Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy American Studies The University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico May 2011 ix IMAGINING THE SAINTS: REPRESENTATIONS OF MORMONISM IN AMERICAN CULTURE by Jeremy R. Ricketts B. A., English and History, University of Memphis, 1997 M. A., American Studies, University of Alabama, 2000 M. Ed., College Student Affairs, University of South Florida, 2004 Ph.D., American Studies, University of New Mexico, 2011 ABSTRACT The purpose of this dissertation is to address how representations of Mormons in American culture reveal not only key aspects of the history of Mormonism in America but also tell us a great deal about American life and thought since the founding of the religion in 1830 to the present day (2011). Representations are powerful vehicles for creating, shaping, reflecting, and naturalizing society’s understanding of religious institutions and revealing cultural concerns and anxieties, and the methodology of this dissertation thus focuses on interdisciplinary analytical critiques of diverse texts to better elucidate the complicated but deeply intertwined history of the Mormon experience in the United States. I have pursued an interdisciplinary line of inquiry that interrogated how the Latter- day Saints have come to form a communal identity and how non-Mormons have understood and represented Mormons as well as the cultural implications of such representations. The findings of this study indicate that throughout their history, Mormons have often been imagined as an Other by producers of cultural texts in such a way that set them apart. Mormons have also portrayed themselves as a distinct people. x But even more significant is how these diverse imaginings reflect American cultural beliefs and values. Both LDS and non-LDS Americans throughout history have had their own particular anxieties and concerns, and in many cases used Mormonism to address those issues. Cultural representations of Mormonism are important because they are tied into a larger history and a greater narrative about American hopes and dreams, about citizenship and belonging. The ebb and flow of anti-Mormonism and more positive representations says a great deal about the national character and the politics of belonging in a religiously pluralistic nation. This study untangles the formation of Mormon identity and the story of Mormonism in America by intervening in a dialogue about how the Saints have imagined themselves, and particularly how others have imagined them. The tension seen in pro- and anti-Mormon representations has shaped people’s perceptions of the Latter-day Saints and revealed pressing undercurrents in American society. The result of all these Mormon, ex-Mormon, and non-Mormon examples not only gives us an understanding of how Americans imagine Mormons today, but also gives important insights into United States’ society and culture for the past 181 years. xi TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ........................................................................................................................1 Chapter 1: Foundations, 1830-1844 ...............................................................................25 Creating Identity: Early Mormonism and the Book of Mormon .............................................. 29 Consolidating Identity: Joseph Smith as Prophet ..................................................................... 35 Solidifying Identity: The Importance of Nauvoo...................................................................... 40 Cementing Identity: The Rhetoric of Persecution .................................................................... 48 Chapter 2: Scripting the Saints, 1845-1890 ...................................................................71 First Drafts