The View from Mount Rushmore

Marinas 1

The View from Mount Rushmore

Amidst the Black Hills of South Dakota, the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln watch over the nation. George Washington, often called the father of the nation, was a leader in the American Revolutionary War to win independence from Great Britain and later became the first president of the United States. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence and added territory that doubled the size of the nation through theLouisiana Purchase. Theodore Roosevelt demonstrated strength, sought to improve the country through the Progressive movement, and constructed the Panama Canal (Nsp.gov). Abraham Lincoln sought to keep the country united during the Civil War and ensured freedom to African American slaves. The memory of these great leaders of the United States of America is forever carved into stone. Tourists who visit the monument each year are reminded of the ideals of freedom and democracy that these four presidents fought for and instilled in this country. Gerard Baker, the superintendent of Mount Rushmore spoke about the significance of the monument saying, “Mount Rushmore is a memorial that symbolizes America, and Americans should never lose sight of their cultural beginnings” (Nsp.gov). These men represent the freedom that this nation was founded on and yet, the image of this monument is often used to criticize the current situations of the country.

Mount Rushmore has become more than a static symbol of freedom; it has transcended the past and has been utilized to create new and deeper meaning in a myriad of issues. Michael McGee defined ideographs as “culturally-grounded, summarizing, and authoritative terms that enact their meaning by expressing an association of cultural ideals and experience in an ever-evolving and reifying form within the rhetorical environment” (Edwards and Winkler 204). Ideographs function to elicit emotion from the public through their association to common concepts and their application to different societal issues. Words like “freedom” and “democracy” act as ideographs in that they have certain connotations and that are then manipulated according to the cultural situation. An ideograph as outlined by McGee has four critical characteristics: it is able to warrant power or guide behavior; it is used in political discourse; it is an abstraction representing collective commitment; and it is culture-bound (205-209). Janis L. Edwards and Carol K. Winkler in their study “Representative Form and the Visual Ideograph: The Iwo Jima Image in Editorial Cartoons” argue against Michael McGee’s belief that ideographs are limited to verbal language (198-212). They protest that visual images can also be used as ideographs because they fulfill McGee’s formulated features of an ideograph and are not merely icons, which are visual representations of words that always symbolize the same concept or idea. The utilization of Mount Rushmore in editorial cartoons functions as an example of a visual ideograph as distinguished by Edwards and Winkler. Through an analysis of editorial cartoons with the Mount Rushmore image, I will provide further evidence to Edwards’s and Winkler’s claim that visual images can exist as ideographs by fulfilling the major characteristics of an ideograph as defined by McGee.

An ideograph “warrants the use of power, excuses behavior and belief which might otherwise be perceived as eccentric or antisocial, and guides behavior and belief into channels easily recognized by a community as acceptable and laudable” (207). An ideograph is able to shift the way that people think about certain concepts or events. The political cartoon “Liberators of America” (Figure 1) by Dr. Seuss uses the positive cultural recollection of the monument to elicit support from the people for the American effort against communism during World War II. Dr. Seuss carves into the mountain, not our presidents, but communist leaders Hitler and Mao Zedong. Hitler looks proud with his head held up high, and Mao’s caricature is overly foreign, mocking the features of the people of China. Tourists looking up at the monument read “Liberators of America” across the leaders’ chests. In the background, flies a flag with the swastika symbol. The cartoonist warns Americans against the terrors of invading communists as he writes across the top, “Don’t Let Them Carve THOSE Faces on Our Mountains!” Below he encourages the public to “Buy United States Savings Bonds and Stamps!” In order to protect this country from communism, hatred, and evil, he suggests that Americans help the war effort by helping to fund it. In this case, the feelings that Mount Rushmore elicits like democracy are used as propaganda by the government in order to enhance its goals. War is viewed as acceptable in order to prevent a greater evil, communism. While this cartoon seems to gain support for democracy through the use of the image of Mount Rushmore, the creation of the monument itself was undemocratic. On October 4, 1927, work began to carve this monument in the Black Hills. The United States seized the land from the Lakota tribe in order to increase tourism in South Dakota. National heroes were chosen to attract tourists from all around the country. The sculptor of the monument, Gutzon Borglum, became associated with the Ku Klux Klan and saw the monument as an opportunity to “recreate a landscape in his image (a tableau of prominent white men)” and chose presidents that exemplified expansion and manifest destiny (pbs.org). It is as though the taking of another’s land is acceptable because the monument preserves American culture and that racism is also acceptable as long as it displays something positive about the country like power and expansion. As an ideograph, the manipulation of the image of Mount Rushmore works to change the understanding and meaning of a preconceived notion. War and racism seem to underlie these ideals of democracy and power and yet they are forgotten or excused when recognizing Mount Rushmore as a monument of national pride.

Figure 1. “Liberators of America.”

The political cartoon “Back of Mount Rushmore” (Figure 2) by Mike Williams also seeks to guide behavior as “the parodied image functions to expose the eccentric or antisocial” (Edwards and Winkler 208). The cartoon is drawn from the back perspective of the monument and displays what goes on behind the scenes. The faces of the presidents are not shown, only the back of their stone bodies. There is humor in the scene as the first ladies dressed in very feminine garments covered in floral patterns are struggling to carry their husbands’ stone bodies. It exemplifies the familiar adage that “Behind every great man, there is a great woman.” Williams criticizes the role that women have in America. Only men have their faces craved into monuments, while women’s efforts go unrecognized. Men become leaders, while women are ignored.

Figure 2. “Back of Mount Rushmore.”

Mount Rushmore fulfills the second characteristic of an ideograph in that it becomes an ordinary term in political discourse in that its image is brought to the people and is not reserved to any one particular group. In the editorial cartoon “Embarrassment at Rushmore” (Figure 3) by Mike Keefe, the Mount Rushmore image is used to satisfy this requirement. The dialogue in the cartoon is set up like a joke: a question and a punch line. On the side corner, a tourist looking at the monument asks, “Is it the sunset that makes them look so red?”

The other tourist reading the newspaper replies, “No-embarrassment.” On the newspaper reads, “Bush signs detainee bill, secret prisons, tribunals, nixes habeas corpus.” The faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln look warily at the country. Dark pencil strokes on their faces display the grimness of the situation. The presidents’ eyes look away in embarrassment and their mouths grimaced. The faces of these presidents are exaggerated in disapproval in order to criticize the actions of President George W. Bush. There is also irony in the picture as the men, whose images are carved on the Mount Rushmore monument, are perceived as the founding fathers of the United States. This monument exemplifies the grandeur and the achievements this nation has taken so much pride in. To see these strong men have expressions of embarrassment towards the country they built exemplifies the cartoonist’s assertion that the presidents would feel disappointed if they saw what this country has become. The cartoon was published recently after President Bush signed the Detainee Bill in 2006. The cartoonist criticizes the actions of the president in permitting the legalization of increased and harsher interrogation tactics of terrorist prisoners. Keefe argues through his editorial cartoon that the actions of the government like keeping secret prisons and abandoning the use of habeas corpus for terrorists to challenge their imprisonment are inhumane. The government has abused its power in exchange for national security. McGee states that “[ideographs] have as much influence on the belief and behavior of the ruler as on the ruled” (207). Cartoonists are able to use images as ideographs to challenge the elite and to encourage a solution to the problem, just as Keefe uses the Mount Rushmore image to expose the American government’s misuse of power.

Figure 3. “Embarrassment at Rushmore.”

The third key characteristic of an ideograph is that it can act as an “abstraction representing collective commitment” (207). This means that an ideograph can be flexible in its meaning; it is not restricted to one definition or concept. The utilization of Mount Rushmore is not used only as a symbol for the government or for leadership in America. The image is ambiguous and is open to multiple interpretations by the viewer. The editorial cartoon “Rushmore History Teens” (Figure 4) by Mike Keefe focuses attention on the American education system and American culture. The cartoonist criticizes the state of this country depicting Mount Rushmore in the background of the illustration. A teacher, carrying a sign that says “History Field Trip,” and his students stand on a site overlooking the monument. A bus driver leans against the school bus smoking a cigarette, completely ambivalent to the grandeur of this great monument. The educational system is being called into question as a student on a history field trip to see Mount Rushmore exclaims, “Like, I knew they were important figures, but I had no idea the Beatles were that big!” The student uses the word “like,” which brings the connotation of someone being dull-witted. Then he mistakes these great American presidents for the pop culture icons, the Beatles. The comment that the Beatles were “that big” brings humor to the piece as it refers to the Beatles popularity and to the size of the monument. The cartoonist seems to make a bold comment because a teenager making that comment would seem incredibly ridiculous to a spectator of the cartoon. He exaggerates the lack of knowledge that current teenagers have. Famous historical figures that everyone should know and admire are barely recognized. Even a group important to popular culture is not known. Any historical or critical information about the past seems to be forgotten or unlearned. Edwards and Winkler state that “…no single language term sums up the interpretations of the image” (207). In this political cartoon, Mount Rushmore represents American ignorance. The image of Mount Rushmore means many things to different people: freedom, democracy, strength, leadership, abuse of power, and knowledge.

Figure 4.“Rushmore History Teens.”

The final characteristic that distinguishes an ideograph is that the image is culture-bound. McGee believed that those “who do not respond appropriately to claims on their behavior warranted through the agency of ideographs will experience societal penalties” (209). Mount Rushmore is a well-known image in America. Cultural ideas and societal expectations are represented by the Mount Rushmore image. Ideals of patriotism and democracy are upheld by the image. Through irony cartoonists use the image to point out the flaws in American society.

In “Dreamland” (Figure 5) by Petar Pismestrovic, Mount Rushmore is not the main subject in the work, but is rather part of a whole concept. It is in the background along with the American flag and the Empire State building. These are all patriotic images of the United States which truly represent the “American Dream.” Towards the front of the picture are images of the Statue of Liberty drinking a bottle of Coca Cola, a Native American holding an Oscar, amidst images of Mickey Mouse, John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe. There are many references to popular culture in this cartoon. The cartoonist makes the point that these famous people and these most commercialized products are the foundation of this country. Pismestrovic tries to display irony in the cartoon as the true “American Dream” of freedom, democracy, and pride lies only in the background, second to celebrity and money. The editorial cartoon attests that this is what America has come to value and seek. No longer are patriotism and liberty values that this nation stands for but rather these superficial symbols of money and fame have become the backbone of this nation. There are social consequences for people that are materialistic and their needs come before all others. Those that do this are seen as selfish and inconsiderate. Those who ignore this ideograph and continue to put more importance on commercialized dreams will be ostracized because they do not understand what is truly important: freedom and democracy.

Figure 5. “Dreamland.”

Edwards and Winkler contended against McGee’s view that ideographs were purely verbal. Through investigation, we see some images can function as visual ideographs that encompass the characteristics of McGee’s ideographs. The public can use visual ideographs like the Mount Rushmore image in order to create a political discourse that questions the elite. They are not simply used as propaganda to gain support for a war, but also can be utilized to criticize the government and the leaders that started the war. The image of Mount Rushmore is not “univocal” in meaning, but rather can have a multitude of descriptions because it is capable of being used outside of its original context and being placed in association with something new to create a new point of view (211). Visual ideographs can be applied to guide behavior through sarcasm and irony. The image of Mount Rushmore is used to excuse something that is usually seen as wrong, such as war. Since the image of Mount Rushmore is culture-bound, cartoonists can draw it in their cartoons to criticize American culture focusing on the problems in society through the manipulation of images. Visual images can be very useful as ideographs and are in some ways superior to verbal ideographs (212). A cartoonist can direct the attention of a spectator by taking a familiar image and manipulating it in order to focus on the portion of the image that has changed. A visual ideograph can also be placed in a variety of contexts in order to testify to a different goal or criticism. Words, on the other hand, are difficult to change because it is hard to manipulate verbal works before they become unrecognizable. Remembering images is much simpler than memorizing lines of words. My research using Mount Rushmore as a visual ideograph further contributes to Edwards and Winkler’s argument. While Mount Rushmore may be used to represent freedom and patriotism, its image can be used in many contexts to evoke certain emotions in the public. Cartoonists utilize visual ideographs with the purpose of exposing issues in society and conveying their different perspectives about American culture.

Works Cited

Edwards, Janis L. and Carol K. Winkler. “Representative Form and the Visual Ideograph: The

Iwo Jima Image in Editorial Cartoons.”Composing Inquiry. Ed. Margaret J. Marshall.

Boston: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2007. 198-212.

Keefe, Mike. “Embarrassment at Rushmore.” Cartoon. PoliticalCartoons.com. 2007.

Daryl Cagle's Professional Cartoonists Index. 29 Oct. 2007

Keefe, Mike “Rushmore History Teens.” Cartoon. PoliticalCartoons.com. 2007. Daryl

Cagle's Professional Cartoonists Index. 29 Oct. 2007

<

NPS.gov. 2007. National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. 29 Oct. 2007

PBS.org. 2007. Public Broadcasting Station. 2 Dec. 2007

Pismestrovic, Petar. “Dreamland.” Cartoon. PoliticalCartoons.com. 2007. Daryl Cagle's

Professional Cartoonists Index. 29 Oct. 2007

Dr. Seuss. “Liberators of America.” Cartoon. Introduction to Political Cartoons. 2007. 29

Oct. 2007 <

Williams, Mike. “Back of Mount Rushmore.” Cartoon. Cartoonstock.com. 2007. Cartoonstock.

29 Oct. 2007 <

©Jorlyann Marinas

Margaret Marshall Composing Inquiry: Teachers’ Resources Prentice Hall 2008