Over the last century, America has produced two dominant and nearly opposite myths of its early explorers: the noble, courageous bringer of light and civilization to the barbarous world; and (more recently) the invader, who is greedy, violent, and sometimes even depraved. How might these very different myths of the explorer suit the different times in which the myths have flourished? Based on the excerpt from his account, how might Cabeza de Vaca be located between these opposite extremes?
