More Than a Meal: The Turkey in History, Myth, Ritual, and RealityThis scholarly and authoritative book examines the cultural and literal history, as well as the natural history and biological needs and concerns of turkeys. Davis explores how turkeys came to be seen as birds who were not only the epitome of failure or stupidity but also the suitable centerpiece of the celebration of freedom in America itself--Thanksgiving. She examines the many varieties of turkeys and uncovers the methods by which millions of turkeys are raised, fattened, and slaughtered on farms around America today. Davis takes us back to European folklore about turkeys, the myths, fairytales, and downright lies told about turkeys and their habits and habitats. She shows how turkeys in the wild have complex lives and family units, and how they were an integral part of Native American and continental cultures and landscape before the Europeans arrived. Finally, Davis draws conclusions about our paradoxical, complex, and "bestial" relationship not just with turkeys, but with all birds, and thus with all other animals. She examines how our treatment of animals shapes our other values about ourselves, our relationship with other human beings, and our attitude toward the land, nation, and the world. |
Contents
| 17 | |
| 25 | |
A True Original Native of America | 33 |
Our Token of Festive Joy | 51 |
Why Do We Hate This Celebrated Bird? | 73 |
Rituals of Spectacular Humiliation An Attempt to Make a Pathetic Situation Seem Funny | 99 |
Common terms and phrases
20th century 26 November According animal rights beak behavior bird's birds brain breeding Bubbly-jock carver celebrate chicks Christmas cock creatures cruelty culture Dickson dinner dogs domestic turkey eggs England eyes Factory Farming feast feet female festival flock galliforms geese Girard gobble gobbler guinea fowl head Healy History holiday human hunter hunting Hutto Indians insemination intelligence killed live turkey shoot male turkey Margaret Visser meal meat Mexico National Turkey Federation Native American neck nest nonhuman animals peacock peafowl Peter Singer pheasant pigeons pigs Pleck Post 26 November poults Powhatan President Press Priscilla published Pueblo quoted in Schorger Reagan rituals of spectacular roasted Rogers roost sacrifice says scapegoat Schorger shot slaughter society species stupid symbol Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving turkey tradition trees turkey drop turkey feathers turkey hens Turkey Olympics turkey's United Poultry Concerns Vegetarian victims Visser Washington Post wild turkey wings Yellville York young turkeys
Popular passages
Page 21 - People ask me where I got gobbledygook I do not know. It must have come in a vision. Perhaps I was thinking of the old bearded turkey gobbler back in Texas who was always gobbledy-gobbling and strutting with ludicrous pomposity. At the end of this gobble there was a sort of gook
Page 14 - and then he himself was executed. The cattle were all cast into a great and large pit that was digged of purpose for them, and no use made of any part of them.