Savior in the Saddle The American Hero
Thomas Hill 1829-1908
Sagebrush Savior Frederick Jackson Turner Birth of new land Birth of new culture Keep roots in past Blossom in endless frontier Transform image of new redeemer
Sagebrush Savior Redeemer Image Puritans—Chosen Land Daniel Boone—Hero inhabited by devils devils driven out by worthy men Daniel Boone—Hero Olympian Cowboy
Sagebrush Savior Cowboy Hero as a God Carries Colt .45 as divine authority Establishes law, order, justice, mercy Conquers savagery and harsh landscapes Survives Great American Desert
Sagebrush Savior Cowboy Hero as a God Acts as a just and wrathful god Exercises divine justice untempered with mercy Enacts clean, swift, sure, and final justice in a lawless land
Sagebrush Savior Cowboy Hero as a God Fights the devil who preys on innocents Sacrifices self for others Leaves world at peace Taken into the sunset
Sagebrush Savior Marsden, Michael T. “Savior in the Saddle: The Sagebrush Testament.” Realizing Westward: American Character and Cowboy Mythology. 2nd ed. Ed. Stephen P. Cook. Boston: Pearson, 2007. 49-55. Print.
Thomas Hill 1829-1908