Cultural References and Influence
The tale of John Henry has been used as a symbol in many cultural movements, including labor movements and the Civil Rights Movement.
“ | John Henry is a symbol of physical strength and endurance, of exploited labor, of the dignity of a human being against the degradations of the machine age, and of racial pride and solidarity. During World War II his image was used in U.S. government propaganda as a symbol of social tolerance and diversity. | ” |
Read more about this topic: John Henry (folklore)
Famous quotes containing the words cultural and/or influence:
“If in the earlier part of the century, middle-class children suffered from overattentive mothers, from being mothers only accomplishment, todays children may suffer from an underestimation of their needs. Our idea of what a child needs in each case reflects what parents need. The childs needs are thus a cultural football in an economic and marital game.”
—Arlie Hochschild (20th century)
“Somewhere along the line of development we discover who we really are, and then we make our real decision for which we are responsible. Make that decision primarily for yourself because you can never really live anyone elses life not even your childs. The influence you exert is through your own life and what you become yourself.”
—Eleanor Roosevelt (18841962)