Justice of the Pains: The Movement Westward (1936)

Painted by John Steuart Curry in 1936, this mural adorns the interior of Washington D.C's department of justice; a testimony to the sentiments of pride and exceptionalism immortalised and instilled by the Westward expansion within the national character. Justice of the Pains depicts a group of settlers in their journey from a plentiful land of green towards an uncertain West characterised by a series of visual antonyms to its Eastern counterpart. In their respective works on the development, nature and role of American aspiration, both James Truslow Adams and Jim Cullen offer a literary perspective from which Curry's mural can be further dissected with insight beyond what is visually represented on the canvas.

Dominating the majority of the space, it is the settler's optimism and dogged forward movement towards a predetermined objective from humble origins that swiftly establishes a framework for another imitation of the American dream. In combination with the customary canvased wagons, yoked oxen and stetson-adorned outriders, the narrative of the movement West appears complete. In fact, it is only the group's destination that invites us to question the optimistic facade of the American dream. Marked by a stark transition from vibrant green to a barren wasteland, from blue skies to smoke, the promised land of the West is set ablaze and superficially at least, holds little potential for its prospective population. In his writing, Adams refers to a series of financial 'panics' (1791, 1819, 1837, 1857) that threatened the notion of rapid exponential growth which was fast becoming an integral element of American identity through its development as a nation. Although of a different nature, the destruction of the West shown in Justice of the Pains is perhaps a similar kind of panic with similar repercussions for elements of American ideology and identity. Adams continues to state that, despite these panics, "the finger has never ceased to beckon with compulsion", suggesting that ultimately, the integrity and allure of the American dream remains intact. This is perhaps because, due to its nature as an ideology, belief system or aspiration, the American dream cannot, as a concept, be held accountable for the way in which it is manifested in reality. According to this definition, any failure of the American dream (financial ruin or indeed a ruined promise of the West) can simply be passed off as a failure to properly represent the belief rather than a failure with the belief itself. This is an idea still inherent to America's political class, as exemplified by former secretary of state Judith McHale who stated in interview that "There's still the promise of America [...] the ability to have your dreams [...] that is why it continues to be such a compelling message and opportunity". This reliance on optimism in the face of consistent failure is reflected in Adam's writing when he states that "cold appraisal of facts might deter others from coming". This adds an almost Darwinian dimension to the Westward expansion in the sense that the journey seems reserved only for those who are fiercely loyal to the "Promise of America" and have survived the "cold appraisal of facts" that had turned others away.

Overall, this textual analysis finds visual support in the mural, as the group seem largely undeterred by the tribulation that awaits them. With diverse backgrounds (military, farmer, mother), the group is united only in their steadfast pursuit of property and happiness, reinforcing Cullen's view that 'the American dream becomes a kind of lingua franca'. The uncertainty of the West as a destination of plenty and wealth and the relationship this holds with the American dream is also alluded to in Cullen's writing. He writes of the dream, that 'ambiguity is the source of its mythic power'. Within the mural, the two front riders of the group recoil in fear from the fires of the West and to the viewer, make it unclear whether or not the goals of their expedition will be realised. Indeed, it is only with historical hindsight (both for artist and viewer) that we know the expansion Westward to be a successful one, with the hardships shown in the painting only reinforcing the notion of the American dream with pain and hard work as a catalyst to success.

While we know that statistically, the American dream is a myth, its nature as an ideology or belief renders it immune from its failure to materialise in reality. Versions of the American dream however, such as the construction of the West, offer images of success, (many of which are represented here in Curry's Justice of the Pains) and begun to cement the narrative of the American dream within the national conscience.

Sources

Adams, James Truslow, The Epic of America (1931) From Chapter 8: Manifest Destiny Lays a Golden Egg, pp. 214-221

Cullen, Jim The American Dream: A Short History of an Idea That Shaped A Nation (2004), Introduction, pp. 3-10

McHale, Judith speaking in Al Jazeera's 'McAmerica - The Success Secrets of Brand USA' Retrieved from <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DNViKt50mE&t=2515s> last accessed 23.01.17