The United States is becoming more self-aware of its history, or at least, more people are willing to acknowledge it. With that in mind, the depiction of the first Thanksgiving feast is often portrayed in media under a more positive light. The pilgrims happily settle into the “New World,” and decide to hold a feast to celebrate. They invite their best friends, the Indians, who are grateful for their new neighbors and bring them a nice fat turkey as a present. Then they hold hands, pray, and enjoy their dinner. The end. But in reality, the Thanksgiving harvest was simply one of many things that led to the relocation and genocide of Native Americans, and popular media has altered the way Americans see this history.
Some cult classic movies that feature Thanksgiving include A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, A Christmas Story, and The Blind Side, just to name a few. Each of these movies tell the usual story of the pilgrims and Native Americans getting together and feasting on an abundance of food, and how like the pilgrims, Americans must give thanks for the land they stand upon. But during a time when it’s vital to take a deeper look into history, watching these scenes feels odd. There is no blatant disregard for the consequences of colonialism, but it’s also like putting a big bandage on a bigger wound. It doesn’t feel right.
Not all movies follow this narrative. Addams Family Values is one of the first few movies to criticize the way the first Thanksgiving feast is viewed. It brought to light how often the pilgrims are portrayed as saintly and innocent, while Native Americans are depicted as violent and primitive. It still “celebrated” Thanksgiving in its own Addams family way, though some have questioned how the children still acted out the stereotypical “savage” Indian image. Regardless it’s something that screenwriters and filmmakers need to consider if they are to feature Thanksgiving in their movies. At least, if a movie comes out now portraying Thanksgiving exactly how Charlie Brown did, it would certainly create a stir online.
Well then, how should Thanksgiving be portrayed in movies now? How filmmakers and writers tell the story of the Thanksgiving harvest should no longer be riddled with hand-holding and smiles all around. No matter who believes in what origin story, it’s obvious that only one has been told in our favorite movies. Overall there is no exact formula as to how it should look, but one thing is clear: the narrative definitely needs to change.
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