Pecos Bill Rides The Tornado, John Henry: The Steel Driving Man

In America, there’s hopes and dreams of becoming successful, but no one is willing to put in the work to do so. Many people have become successful, because either it’s passed on down from generations, or others work hard for it. People who are successful aren’t because they’re special, it’s because they’re unique from anyone else. Almost every Early Americans looked forward to living the American dream that everyone dreamt of, but rarely anyone has put in work to achieve that goal. The stories of, “Pecos Bill Rides the Tornado”, “John Henry: The Steel Driving Man”, and “Paul Bunyan Tames the Whistling River” by S.E. Schlosser all shows the unique features about these characters. In “Pecos Bill Rides the Tornado”, Bill is well known throughout

the West because of what he does, and what he is. Bill’s courage and confidence on being able to ride anything is the reason why he’s known and in this story he decides to ride a tornado. In the Virginia legend, “John Henry: The Steel Driving Man”, a man that goes by the name of John Henry is successful because, he had strength physically and mentally like no other. In this story, Henry is the strongest man, physically and mentally that worked at the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. He was one of the the most respected and hardest working man there and no one could match up to him. Soon later, a salesman appears and claims that a steam powered drill can out drill any mankind, therefore they set up a contest to see who wins, and soon later, Henry wins, but shortly after his life ends due to overworking. In “Paul Bunyan Tames the Whistling River”, this story is about a man named Paul Bunyan who is annoyed at the Whistling River for blowing muddy chunks into his beard. He was so annoyed that he had to do something about it, therefore he had a plan to fix this problem by freezing the river and pulling it straight. This reveals how he had challenged nature with a plan and successfully achieved his goal. Early Americans reveal that to achieve goals like living the American dream, one must face the different obstacles in life.
One myth that reflects the Early American values is the story, “Pecos Bill Rides the Tornado”. With the use of myth function Schlosser reveals that to achieve your goal, you must overcome obstacles and challenges that comes your way. In this tall tale, Bill is depicted to be known all over the west because of his ability to ride anything, and has only been thrown once. While in Kansas, Bill challenges himself to ride the biggest tornado no one has ever seen. Being confident and having courage are some characteristics of Bill which was the reason he challenged himself. This was all revealed when Schlosser states, “Now Bill wasn’t gonna ride any tornado, no ma’am. He waited for the biggest gol-durned tornado you ever saw. It was turning the sky black and green and roaring so loud it woke up the farmers over in China. Well, Bill jest grabbed that there tornado, and pushed it to the ground and jumped on it’s back. The tornado whipped and whirled and sidewinded and generally cursed it's bad luck all the way down Texas. Tied the rivers into knots flattened so bad they had to rename one place the Stacked Plains” (Schlosser 71). Through the success of Bill's past, he has become more confident and have more courage which allowed him to do bigger things. While in Kansas, there was a tornado that was so tremendous and powerful. The tornado was described to be so big that even “farmers over in China” were woken up by this tornado. But Bill, he didn’t care how big it was, he was determined and confident he can ride this tornado out. The Tornado “whipped and whirled and sidewinded” and Bill just kept riding it and jabbed it with his spurs. His courage and determination to ride the tornado out, reveals the myth function of supporting and validating social and custom values. Bill’s determination reflects the values of Americans which is that one shall not give up because a challenge overcame them and that it seems merely impossible to overcome, and one shall give it their all to achieve their goal. Not only does the tale of “Pecos Bill Rides the Tornado” reflect American values, but the Virginia legend of “John Henry: The Steel Driving Man” also reflect the values of Americans.
Schlosser uses this legend, as an example to reflect the Early American values.

Through the use of a myth-function Schlosser demonstrates how one must overcome great obstacles to achieve what their goal is. In this legend, John Henry was once a slave, and now that he was free he worked at the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Company. Thereon forward he was known the be the hardest working man to the point where no one could have been compared to him. Later on a contest was set-up, because a salesman claimed that his product a steam-powered drill could out-drill anyone. But John Henry, he didn’t care, he had a mindset like no other, he had strength like no other and most importantly, he had determination like no other This is all revealed when Schlosser states “The foreman ran that newfangled steam-drill. John Henry, he just pulled out two 20-pound hammers, one in each hand. They drilled and drilled, dust rising everywhere. The men were howling and cheering. At the end of 35 minutes, John Henry had drilled two seven foot holes - a total of fourteen feet, while the steam drill had only drilled one nine-foot hole. John Henry held up his hammers in triumph” (Schlosser, 73). Early American Values are revealed when John henry holds up “his hammers in triumph”. John Henry was originally known for his strength and determination. When the salesman claimed that his steam-powered drill could out-drill any man, Henry did not hesitate to accept the challenge. Therefore a contest was set-up,

and with John Henry’s ambition and determination, he drilled a total of “fourteen feet” when the steam-powered drill only drilled a total of a “nine-foot hole”. Henry’s ambition and characteristics reveals the American values that one should accept difficult challenges in life, because with ambition and determination you may just achieve as many goals as you want. The tale of “Paul Bunyan Tames the Whistling River” also reveals the values of Americans.
Americans values can consists of many things, like living the American dream, or as simple as working hard, but it can only be achieved through overcoming challenges and obstacles that come your way.

Through man vs. nature, it is revealed how Early American values how one should overcome challenges instead of giving up. A river known as the “Whistling River” is known for its whistle that was heard for over six hundred miles. This river, was a disaster to those who worked it and to the people who were around it when it whistled, especially Paul Bunyan. Paul Bunyan was upset and took action and tried to plan on how to tame the river, when it “spat five thousand and nineteen gallons of muddy water onto his beard, adding a batch of mud turtles, several large fish and a muskrat into the mix. Paul Bunyan was so mad he jumped up and let out a yell that caused a landslide all the way out in Pike’s Peak” (Schlosser 74). Because of the way the river affected the people who worked it, and who were near it when it whistled, Paul Bunyan a victim of the river that “spat five thousand and nineteen gallons of muddy water onto his beard” upset him so much it caused him to think of a plan to tame the river and fix it for the benefits of others and himself. When Paul finally found a plan to tame the river, he goes great lengths to do whatever it takes to fix the whistling river. Paul Bunyan and his Blue Ox “Babe” took a walk to the north pole to trap some icicles, to freeze the river which he

did. After Paul hooked the chain to his Blue Ox and straightened the river which stopped it’s whistles. When Paul fixes the river, it is revealed that the use of man vs. nature was used in this story, because Paul was challenged by nature and overcame the obstacles. This reflects American values because it is demonstrated that when Paul was challenged by nature, he came up with a plan and overcame the obstacles to straighten out the river. All in all, it can be concluded that these three stories reveals that in order to achieve your goals like living the American Dream, one shall not give up and overcome the challenging obstacles that is given throughout life.
Many people dream about living the American Dream, but not much put in the effort to achieve that goal. Many would quit once a challenging obstacle comes their way, but those who are successful are the ones who never backed down from the obstacles. This is revealed in the three stories of, “Pecos Bill Rides the Tornado”, “John Henry: The Steel Driving Man”, and “Paul Bunyan Tames the Whistling River”. Schlosser uses myth-function in the story of “Pecos Bill Rides the Tornado” to demonstrate that with determination, one may achieve their goal. In another story, “John Henry: The Steel Driving Man”, with the use of myth-function it is also revealed that with ambition and strength mentally and physically, one may achieve goals with great lengths. The last story, “Paul Bunyan Tames the Whistling River” Schlosser uses Man Vs. Nature to reflect the Early American values, that one can go great lengths to achieve their goal, all it takes is a plan and determination to go through with it. In conclusion, the author conveys that in order to achieve a goal, one must face all the challenging obstacles that are given, instead of backing down, no matter how impossible and difficult they seem.