Running HEAD: USA’S NATIONAL SYMBOLS AND CONFORMITY
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“THE PROPER SELF: AMERICA AS A NATION CONFORMING TO AN IDEA BACKED
BY SYMBOLISM”
The United States of America inception was an idea and it growth into a modern-day
superpower is backed by a strict adherence of a set of ideal symbols. All nations have some
traditional symbols that it cherishes. The symbols are the representation of the nation's traditions,
beliefs, values or some innate ideas that distinguish the nation from other nations. In most cases,
the symbols may change over time or the nation may decide on adopting newer symbols based
on the changing times. The symbols are testament to the newer generations of the ideals that
their forefathers stood for and they communicate the aspirations of the future. The United States
of America has six distinct symbols. The selected three for discussion are the US flag, statue of
liberty and the bald eagle. Each of these is and has been a symbol that has always pushed both
the citizens and the US government to often revert to the national ideals. The symbols have had a
lasting impact on generations of Americans and have left and will inspire the future governments
and people. The symbols depict the nation as that which conforms to its original ideas in which
they all play a role in backing.
The bald eagle (Appendix 1) is a national bird that represents the idea and belief that the
USA is a tenacious nation with a goal of prosperity with a readiness to tackle challenges and
embrace reinvention. The bird was taken up as a national symbol in 1782 shortly after the
nation’s independence. However, the bird was already a spiritual symbol for the native
American. The adoption as the national symbol was followed by a decree to have the bird
protected and today the bird is still revered and well conserved by the nation. The national
symbol that has the bird is the great seal of the United States. As Benoit (2019) notes, the bird on
the seal is adopted as a symbol of power holding a few props. First, the bald eagle on the seal
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holds thirteen olive branches in one of its talon and the other talon holds thirteen arrows. The
symbolism here is that the nation has power to make peace and hence the arrow. On the other
hand, the nation can declare war declare war and hence the arrows. The United States has been
engaged in war and has made peace many times in its history. The most notable war the nation
took part in was the second world war after which its decisive action in attacking Japan was the
end of the war. After the war, Japan and Germany called a truce and USA nation took up the role
of establishing world peace by launching the United Nations. Up until today the nation and the
people of USA have been in the forefront of enhancing world peace. The people of America take
part in enhancing peace by funding peace missions abroad. The other citizen-based endeavors
include non-governmental organizations such as the US Red Cross Society and through
numerous endeavours including such as US Corp and so on. At home, the bald eagle is an
indication to every American that the government has the power to protect them and guarantee
peace if they adhere to the law (Benoit, 2019). On the other hand, the lawbreakers are also
alerted of the power the central government has in law when it comes to dealing with persons
destabilizing the peace for others. All these things are an indication that the symbol of the bald
eagle is still true to the USA and it still inspire the nation to conform to its ideals.
The statue of liberty (Appendix 2) is a US national symbol that signifies the freedom
citizens enjoy and will continue to enjoy. The statue officially is called the “Liberty Enlightening
the World” and was made in France to pay homage to the Greek goddess called Libertas.
Afterwards, the people of France owing to the long history with the Americans and the influence
the USA had on the French Revolution, decided to offer it as a gift dedicated to America back in
1886. In America, liberty and freedom up until then were values that the people had grappled
with for slightly over a century (Berenson, 2019). The nation had fought for independence and
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acquired and by 1886 it was fresh out of a destructive civil war. One of the resolutions of the
civil war was the resolve to abolish slavery. The proponents for the abolition of slavery won and
therefore pushed the declaration that upheld the ideals of freedom for all citizens to pursue their
goals and dreams. The abolitionists sat down with the confederates and agreed that the nation
was built on freedom an liberty and therefore would still continue as such. On the other hand, the
nation was built by persons leaving their home nation to come to a new nation that upheld
liberty. In that case, the best site for the statue was at New York harbor because that was the
entry point for most immigrants. The choice of this location has always been ideal because it
reminds every American of the liberty they have because the goddess holds a holds up high a
torch on one hand and tablet on the other. The tablet represents the law with which every citizen
must follow and the torch depicts a mental illumination in this new country (Berenson, 2019). At
the feet of Libertas are broken chains meaning that this ne nation is a place ideal for those out of
bondage have a nation ideal for them and that nation is USA. The symbolism inspires individuals
to conform to these ideals and has inspired many others in the struggles for liberty and neoliberal challenges (Ringrose and Walkerdine, 2008).
The US flag (Appendix 3) is the earliest symbol in the nation and it represents the united
states that came together to form a single nation with a common aspiration. The flag is a red and
white alternate with white stars in a blue field. The flag just as any other flag represents the
nation’s need for a unique symbol that every citizen and government can use (Jaskulowski,
2016). The flag in the USA is much more unique because the stars are a representation of all the
states that came together in the making of the United States of America. Originally these states
were colonies and thirteen hence the original thirteen stars. After they took up arms and fought
for independence against the British, they formed the first part of the United States as a nation.
USA’S NATIONAL SYMBOLS AND CONFORMITY
As more members joined in, the 1818 law by Congress states that a star would be added. In that
case, the symbol reminds Americans of the need for unity because each state regardless of the
size, or population had a contribution towards history and is still a major part of the present and
future of the nation. The other major attribute and symbolism is that each state feels that it has
the liberty to strive on its own in despite being under the umbrella of federal power and
oversight. The distinction in state and federal power is vital for every American for it conforms
to the idea that the nation is a constellation of united states but with common goals and
aspirations (Jaskulowski, 2016). The notion of belonging is an artificial one and it motivates
Americans in their pursuit for happiness and liberty which in most cases culminates into selfenterprise (Ouellette and Hay, 2008).
In a nutshell, symbols are largely used in United States and they all play part in
encouraging the citizens and government to the original and fundamentals of the founding
fathers. The symbols are present and are used in daily life as a way of reminding the nation that
the intended idea at inception is still alive today and will be alive tomorrow. The bald eagle
represents the power of state. The flag embodies the unity of the states and the symbolism of
unity among the people under a powerful federal government. Finally, the statue of liberty is a
representation of a nation that cherishes liberty and allows everyone to prosper using a definite
law and through mental illumination.
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References
Benoit, W. L. (2019). A functional analysis of visual and verbal symbols in presidential
campaign posters, 1828–2012. Presidential Studies Quarterly, 49(1), 4-22.
Berenson, E. (2019). Sentinel: The Unlikely Origins of the Statue of Liberty by Francesca Lidia
Viano. Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 50(2), 297-299.
Jaskulowski, K. (2016). The magic of the national flag. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 39(4), 557573.
Ouellette, L., & Hay, J. (2008). Makeover television, governmentality and the good
citizen. Continuum, 22(4), 471-484.
Ringrose, J., & Walkerdine, V. (2008). Regulating the abject: The TV make-over as site of neoliberal reinvention toward bourgeois femininity. Feminist media studies, 8(3), 227-246.
USA’S NATIONAL SYMBOLS AND CONFORMITY
Appendix
Appendix 1: The Bald Eagle
Source – Smithsonian Magazine https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smartnews/bald-eagles-found-nesting-arizona-saguaro-cactus-first-time-decades-180974704/
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Appendix 2: Statue of Liberty
Source – Dailymail UK - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4652254/TheStatue-Liberty-RED-turned-green.html
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Appendix 3: The US flag
Source – Grand New Flag- https://www.grandnewflag.com/nylon-american-flag-madein-usa/
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