Introduction : John Wayne's threshold -- Tending to the flock : Clint Eastwood, ambivalent wanderer -- Master narrative : U.S. history as a struggle over and for small communities -- Shooting star : Daniel Day Lewis and the persistent significance of the frontier in American history -- Master narrative : U.S. history as the rise and fall of rugged individualists -- Equal work : the mystique of Meryl Streep -- Master narrative : U.S. history as a journey for women from private to public -- Rising sons : Denzel Washington, affirmative actor -- Master narrative : U.S. history an intergenerational family drama -- Team player : Tom Hanks, company man -- Master narrative : U.S. history as a saga of collective enterprise -- The brave one : Jodie Foster, (American) loner -- Master narrative : U.S. history as a pilgrim's progress -- Conclusion : sensing the present.
Summary:
"How do perceptions of the past--not just of particular events, but of the trajectory of history as a whole--shape our experience of the world? Sensing the Past tackles this question with an unlikely source of historical insight--the work of six major Hollywood stars: Clint Eastwood, Daniel Day-Lewis, Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, and Jodie Foster. By focusing on the career choices made by these iconic actors, Cullen uncovers a discrete set of historical narratives, revealing the surprising ways historical forces shape our understanding of the world"--Publisher's website.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.