Kitty Hollingshead Mancil
HUMN 341
Assignment 3-1
The Big Event!
Assignment 3-1: Weekly Written Analysis: The Big Event!
One of the biggest rituals that happen on Thanksgiving Day is the watching of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. To gain its ritual status, the Macy’s Parade uses elements from pop culture: the balloons of popular cartoons and products like Dora the Explorer and Barbie, the Rockettes, and Santa Claus. This annual event has been going on for 81 years now, and the route takes place in Manhattan, New York. While mostly a rite of spectacle, where most people are spectators, you could also think of it as a rite of season or rite of unity. The rite of season would be the transitioning from the fall into the winter months, and the rite of unity could be interpreted as the coming together of our nation on a day where we traditionally give thanks.
This year, there are over 10,000 people marching in the parade, from cheerleaders to clowns to bands. (Goldman) Not only do people in New York line up in person to see the parade, people across the country turn on their televisions to get a glimpse. With there being several new balloons this year (Shrek, Abby Cadabby, and Hello Kitty Supercute), the beginnings of new traditions are merged with old. Many people can name their favorite float, and these new additions will be loved for years to come.
The parade also reflects current events. The Broadway show, “Legally Blond” is not able to perform with their costumes as they are in the midst of a strike with the stagehands. This brings to center stage the dispute which has been going on for a few weeks now. While the cast plans to wear replacement costumes, the strike has been getting more publicity due to this event.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is an excellent discussion topic for a popular culture class. Not only is it a ritual that has been preformed for decades, it is a reflection of the current popular culture. It showcases what has been and is popular and influential in America. It also is an act of coming together, where we as a community come together as a community to enjoy a tradition that is sure to stay for many years to come.
Works Cited
Goldman, A. (2007). Balmy weather for the NY Thanksgiving parade. Retrieved November 22, 2007, from http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071122/ap_on_re_us/thanksgiving_rdp;_ylt=ArLnj2mnkoBWy1rwbE3iWstvzwcF
Goldman, A. (2007). Macy’s parade floats through NYC streets. Retrieved November 22, 2007, from
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/macy_s_parade;_ylt=At65LMxl28YvvYANgxLuyjADW7oF
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1 comment:
Interesting to see you tie in this weeks analysis to the focused material of the week also. I haven't seen the Thanksgiving Day parade in quite some time, but it's interesting to hear that it's bringing extra press to a stagehand strike.
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