Farm Boys as chosen ones

This question got me thinking, and my brain went off in several different directions lol

Superman - He’s not the first but he is probably the most notable fictional character with this backstory at this point in time. I’m not too familiar with details but if I recall his rural upbringing by gentle, salt of the earth adoptive parents is often connected with a development of Clark’s humility and compassion for humanity.

Dorothy Gale (Wizard of Oz, specifically the movie) - In intro to film class we talked about early Hollywood’s commitment to showing a “pastoral ideal”, a sort of utopia centered around the country and away from the city. Predictably, this often centers around farm life, and in this case not only does Dorothy get a chance to shine, but also the three ranch hands in the form of the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion. I also remember a paper I did for another English class comparing Modern American and Ancient Greek heroes. While the ancient concept often revolved around destined nobility and an often tragic end (Oedipus), the modern context often had someone coming out of nowhere, which brings me to…

Hobbits - Tolkien was firmly committed to the idea that a great hero can come from anywhere, even the most unlikely of places and it shines through in his characterizations of the Hobbits. While they were not all farmers, we do have Samwise Gamgee to consider, and again the pastoral setting of the Shire stands in stark contrast to the cold industry of Sauron’s “production factory”.

The Bible - Here’s where it comes to a head for me personally, and my guess is similar for Tolkien too because of his Catholic faith. There are several instances in Scripture where the lower is exalted over the higher - Jacob over Esau, David over his brothers. The most notable would be Jesus Christ Himself. While not a farmer, one of Jesus’ future disciples originally scoffs at His hometown, saying “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46).

So in many instances, the “weak” prevails over the “strong”, and the “foolish” over the “wise” (1 Corinthians 1:27); the “simple farm boy/girl” as chosen one shines in that context all throughout fiction

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