A Cycle of the West · Question
How does A Cycle of the West develop the theme of Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion?
Answer
A Cycle of the West by John G. Neihardt develops Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
The narrative chronicles the relentless push of white settlers and prospectors into the trans-Missouri region, portraying it as an inevitable, often destructive force that reshapes the land and displaces indigenous peoples.
The westward journey of these men is framed as part of a larger, inevitable expansion across the continent.
The chapter illustrates the relentless push of American settlers and the military into Native lands, driven by the belief in Manifest Destiny, leading to violent conflicts and displacement.
The chapter vividly portrays the post-Civil War westward surge as a 'Cadmian breed' driven by an 'ancient and compelling Aryan urge,' framing expansion as an inevitable, almost mythic force.
Evidence in the book
- I: Ashley’s Hundred
The westward journey of these men is framed as part of a larger, inevitable expansion across the continent.
- The Song of the Indian Wars
The chapter illustrates the relentless push of American settlers and the military into Native lands, driven by the belief in Manifest Destiny, leading to violent conflicts and displacement.
- I: The Sowing of the Dragon
The chapter vividly portrays the post-Civil War westward surge as a 'Cadmian breed' driven by an 'ancient and compelling Aryan urge,' framing expansion as an inevitable, almost mythic force.
- IV: Fort Phil Kearney
The building of the fort and the logging operations symbolize the aggressive westward expansion, with the fort described as 'brazened out the sun' and a 'builded insolence' against the land.
- VII: Beecher's Island
The railroad's relentless advance is depicted as a 'metal serpent' and 'bold earth-takers,' symbolizing the inexorable push of white settlement across the plains.
- VIII: The Yellow God
The relentless westward flood of settlers, railroads, and mining operations embodies the expansionist drive that overruns Native territories.
