The Spread Eagle and Other Stories

"The Spread Eagle and Other Stories" by Gouverneur Morris is a set of tales from the early 1900s that look at what it means to be an American and how cultures clash, mainly through the eyes of Fitzhugh Williams. This young boy navigating life in a rich, European-American family finds himself torn between two different worlds. As the stories begin, we meet Fitzhugh, weighed down by his family's wealth and the pressure to be a sophisticated American while traveling in Europe. Even though his mother tries to teach him European ways, he sticks to his American identity and jokes about his situation. In one scene, on the Fourth of July in Paris, Fitzhugh playfully goes against what his mother wants and shows how much he misses the simple fun of American life, highlighting the struggle between his privileged life and his desire to be true to himself. The beginning is funny but also makes you think, suggesting that the stories will further examine identity and fitting in.