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Symbolism In John Gast's American Progress

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John Gasts’ American Progress painting is clear to interpret even though the representation of events is not realistic. With Lady Liberty flying east to west, she is seen as a goddess like embodiment of the United Sates. With the changing environment in the painting, Lady Liberty is used to represent this because of the power woman hold. They are associated more to nature than men are, deriving from the word “birth.” There is the birth of a new westward expanded nation that is brought from her. With the east becoming more technologically advanced, the angel resembling lady carries those advancements along with her. American Progress symbolizes the enlightenment with Lady Liberty bringing advancements from east to west to represent westward expansion. Westward expansion also relates to Manifest Destiny which John O’Sullivan wrote about which led to advancements for the rest of the world. American Progress also relates to Joseph Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness through the colors shown in the sky. The light that leads to dark represents the main takeaways from the story through its imagery.

Symbolizing the enlightenment, the sky is clear and bright with rolling hills to the east, while the west is drastically different. There are black clouds casting darkness upon the land with jagged mountains in the back, showing the areas where the enlightenment has not reached yet. The torch that Lady Liberty is carrying is the symbol for enlightenment, and wherever she goes it

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