TALKING TURKEY: VISUAL MEDIA AND THE UNRAVELING OF THANKSGIVING ********* A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School at the University of Missouri-Columbia ********* In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy ********** by LUANNE K. ROTH English Department, Dr. Elaine J. Lawless, Dissertation Chair DECEMBER 2010 © Copyright by LuAnne K. Roth 2010 All Rights Reserved The undersigned, appointed by the dean of the Graduate School, have examined the dissertation entitled: TALKING TURKEY: VISUAL MEDIA AND THE UNRAVELING OF THANKSGIVING presented by LuAnne K. Roth, a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, and hereby certify that, in their opinion, it is worthy of acceptance. Professor John Miles Foley Assistant Professor Joanna Hearne Professor Elaine J. Lawless Professor Karen Piper Professor Sandy Rikoon Associate Professor Nancy West ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have heard that, under the best of circumstances, writing a dissertation is a lonely and isolating process. That has not been my experience because so many individuals have shown interest and contributed meaningfully along the way, sending material about turkeys and Thanksgiving to support my research. Certain individuals were crucial at different stages of my journey, and they should be mentioned here. Years before I began this research, Gerry Gerasimo (Augsburg College) inspired me to think critically about culture, and Michael Owen Jones (University of California- Los Angeles) caused me to fall in love with food as a serious topic of study. At the start of my dissertation research, Elisa Glick’s (University of Missouri) graduate seminar on the body led me to consider theories of embodiment in my examination of Thanksgiving’s symbols. My dissertation advisor, Elaine Lawless, offered vital insight, careful editing, and unwavering support at every single phase of the project, as did other members of my committee. Karen Piper and Joanna Hearne likewise provided continual encouragement to pursue this project, and both challenged me at critical points to develop a more sophisticated engagement of theory and deeper reading of the materials collected; Nancy West guided me through various aspects of film and visual studies and encouraged a more nuanced consideration of these media forms; and Sandy Rikoon and John Miles Foley complicated my assumptions about folklore and its functions. I would also like to thank the staff at the National Museum of the American Indian (especially Melissa Bisagni and Dennis Zotigh), who pointed me toward important resources and alternative ii curricular materials that deal with the problematic aspects of Thanksgiving, and Eryca Neville at the University of Missouri, who shared her experience of the “Through Native Eyes” exhibit at West Boulevard Elementary School. While the above people have added immeasurably to this dissertation, I am fully responsible for the content herein, including any errors, omissions, or flaws of argument. I also cannot overemphasize the importance of my family’s support. They have listened patiently over the years, accepting my pursuit of the bizarre and the obscure, and have pushed me to explain theory in a way that makes sense to the lay public. Moreover, they helped me to maintain a sense of levity about my research and assured that our own Thanksgiving Day celebrations continue to be fun, meaningful, and tasty. In particular, my beloved husband, Frankie Minor, sat through hours of musings about turkeys—on the porch, in the kitchen, in the car, in the bed, in restaurants—wherever we happened to be when I had an impulse to articulate a string of seemingly random ideas. Not only did he patiently endure piles of papers and books, and assume more than his share of housework, but his tireless sleuthing rendered him an unofficial research assistant. He also helped me to limit the scope of my argument, joking at one point, “the Ottoman Empire was also in Turkey, but you can’t cover everything!” My deepest gratitude, however, goes to my son, Kahlil, who does not recall a time when I was not juggling graduate school, employment, and motherhood, and who will surely be relieved to know that I have finally finished my dissertation. Kahlil’s knack for navigating the sticky terrain of Thanksgiving (and life in general) is totally refreshing and has helped me to uphold a sense of humor and perspective. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . ii ABSTRACT . v CHAPTERS Introduction – Theorizing Media Representations of Thanksgiving . 1 1. Pilgrims, Indians, and Turkeys: Inventing (and Subverting) Thanksgiving . 34 2. Stuffing and the Flesh that Unites: The Embodiment of Colonial Desire . 80 3. Sexing the Turkey: Gender Politics and Turkey Sexuality . 124 4. Revolting Turkeys: A Bird’s-Eye View of Thanksgiving . 178 5. Conclusion – Reconciling Thanksgiving . 223 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 251 VITA . 292 iv Talking Turkey: Visual Media and the Unraveling of Thanksgiving LuAnne Roth Dr. Elaine J. Lawless, Dissertation Chair Abstract Standing at the core of American culture, Thanksgiving is an invented tradition celebrated by millions of Americans. This dissertation examines contemporary representations of Thanksgiving in “the media of everyday life”—including television, film, literature, comic strips, paintings, advertisements, and the Internet. After interrogating the myth of “First Thanksgiving” through vignettes that challenge its dubious history, this project shows that media representations of the holiday expose conflict and alienation at the meal that is supposed to signify harmony and inclusivity. In this embodied holiday, the turkey becomes compulsory, so that refusing to eat it threatens family cohesiveness. As a day of “intensified patriarchy,” the gendered division of labor encompasses all aspects of the holiday—from preparation and turkey carving to clean up and post-prandial activities. In some instances, the turkey undergoes processes of anthropomorphism and sexualization, revealing the influence of colonial ideology on both race/ethnicity and gender/sexuality. Along with subjectivity comes the desire of turkeys to live free from humans and their appetites. In “poultry-themed gallows humor,” turkeys discover the conspiracy of their lives, try to escape, and seek revenge. By probing these visual representations of turkeys, the murky underbelly of the holiday comes into focus, suggesting that—despite its nostalgic trappings—discord and violence inhere in Thanksgiving discourse. Some of these subversive elements create fissures in Thanksgiving ideology, in hopes of unraveling the holiday once and for all, and others seek broader themes of harvest, gratitude, and family togetherness to celebrate. v Introduction – Talking Turkey: Theorizing Media Representations of Thanksgiving “The table, covered with a damask cloth, vieing in whiteness, and nearly equalling in texture, the finest imported, though spun, woven and bleached by Mrs. Romeiee's own hand, was now intended for the whole household, every child having a seat on this occasion, and the more the better, it being considered an honor for a man to sit down to his Thanksgiving supper surrounded by a large family! The provision is always sufficient for a multitude, every farmer in the country being, at this season of the year, plentifully supplied, and every one proud of displaying his abundance and prosperity. The roasted turkey took precedence on this occasion, being placed at the head of the table; and well did it become its lordly station, sending forth the rich odour of its savoury stuffing, and finely covered with the frost of the basting” (Sarah Josepha Hale 1827:108-109).1 Some argue that Thanksgiving is inescapably at the core of American culture, a day on which Americans must either “celebrate or avoid a ritual family feast, centered around a stuffed turkey” (Siskind [1992] 2002:41). Said to be the most ubiquitous of American holidays, Thanksgiving is celebrated by over 200 million Americans, who gather with family and friends on the third Thursday in November (or thereabouts) to eat a meal perceived to be traditional. The holiday is celebrated by an estimated 90% of Americans, including both American-born and immigrant families (Pleck 2000:42). The Thanksgiving meal has inspired numerous authors, directors, and artists. For instance, Norman Rockwell’s famous painting, “Freedom from Want” (March 6, 1943), depicts an American family at the iconographic Thanksgiving.2 The grandmother (actually modeled after the Rockwell family cook) is about to set the turkey platter on the table as the patriarch stands beside her, waiting to carve the bird. The expression on the faces of family members reveals jovial anticipation. One man looks directly at us from the lower 1 right corner of the painting. Is he inviting us to the meal? Or, is he trying to let us in on a little secret?3 Feminist and postcolonial theorists argue that scholars are obliged to describe their “strategic locations” within their work (Said 1978:20; Rich [1994] 2003\). It would be remiss, therefore, if I neglected to acknowledge up front that my own strategic location vis-à-vis Thanksgiving has roots in nostalgic childhood memories. I love the emphasis on family togetherness and harvest and the notion, however erroneous, that these traditional foods somehow bind us to previous generations. I love the food itself—from the chilled relish trays to the green bean casserole smothered in Campbell’s mushroom soup mix and French’s Fried Onions, the sweet potato casserole