The Pathfinder in American Culture: How White People Survive in the Frontier

Riyatno, Riyatno (2020) The Pathfinder in American Culture: How White People Survive in the Frontier. In: The 4th COLALITE International Conference: "Superhero in the Age of Transnationalism. UNSOED Press, Purwokerto, pp. 111-118. ISBN 978-623-6783-26-9

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Abstract

The aim of this research is to explain the idea of pathfinder in America in the 18th century. This research applies American Studies method, namely the combination of literary, historical and sociological methods. History and sociology are used in the research because they complement the existing source in the literature. The data are mainly taken from James Fenimore Cooper’s novel, namely, The Pathfinder or The Inland Sea for the idea of pathfinder in the 18th century. The novel is used in the research as starting points to describe the idea of pathfinder. Other data are taken from film, American history and American sociology in the 18th century. Based on the research, pathfinder exists because people need him to be able to survive in the frontier. The pathfinder can lead people to get to the place they go safely and can protect them. His skill to live in the frontier makes the pathfinder survive. His understanding to Indian’s culture makes him easy, but complicated, to live in the frontier. Meanwhile, white people who live in the frontier still keep their own culture which is unsuitable for the real condition in the frontier. They still think that the Indians are their enemies that cannot live together peacefully. Keywords: The Pathfinder, American Culture, White People, Survive, Frontier

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