People came to America to be happy, so optimism has become an integral part of the American way of life. No matter what’s going on in your life, it’s okay, it can’t be otherwise. “Don’t worry, be happy,” the average American is told on TV. The famous American form of greeting, so offensive to sensitive Russians, sounds like a password and a response: “How are you?” the answer must necessarily be: “Everything is fine” and nothing else.

The idols of Americans were statesmen and politicians, businessmen and card cheats, crooks and cowboys, hunters and robbers. All of them had one thing in common: they were winners, they succeeded. The attitude toward success, typical of American society, gave birth to an interesting type of hero: the unsmooth, funny, making blunders, causing a smile, but always winning in the end. Not everyone in real life was a superman, but everyone strove for success, so that such heroes calmed, gave hope, finally, just entertained and, apparently, therefore were especially loved.

Legendary hero Davy Crockett of the Wild West was not only an apt hunter, but also incorrigible braggart. His main feat was saving the Earth from freezing. He accomplished this by greasing the wheels of the machine that released the sun into the sky with bear grease. He was famous for catching raccoons with his smile alone – that’s the power of an American smile! They couldn’t stand it, so they came down from the trees themselves. Once he even took part in an election: “An election is like a cold,” Davie thought. – It can happen to anyone and everyone takes part in elections.” At his opponent’s speech, he would bring a crocodile, who would get bored and yawn widely, showing huge teeth. As a result of this ingenuous move, the opponent got away, and Davie was elected to Congress from his state.

A favorite pastime of another hero of American mythology was jumping from a height. Proclaiming his motto, “Nothing in life is impossible!” he kissed the flag and jumped. Among his exploits was even conquering Niagara Falls. Eventually he jumped so deep that he swam out the opposite side of the earth off the coast of Australia, where he taught a kangaroo to jump.

Characters in modern American movies often resemble mythological heroes. Yes, there are genuine “supermen” – big and strong, they are not afraid of hardship and stand alone against all enemies, most often saving no more or less than all of humanity. But there are others, such as Indiana Jones, a scruffy and always getting into trouble, causing laughter with his appearance and actions, or Bruce Willis’s heroes, so beloved by teenagers of all continents, often drunkards and losers, but still saving the world from eternal evil.