| Here in the United States, though, we have many | | | | American icon, reminiscent the "happy" years in |
| traditional fruits. Of course, perhaps the most | | | | the United States. |
| popular and most traditional fruit that we grow is | | | | A rotten or bad apple is not just a piece of bad |
| the apple. In fact, apples are such traditional fruits | | | | fruit. This idiom describes the one "bad" or |
| that they have become ingrained in our culture. | | | | "rotten" person in a group. |
| Take a look at some of the ways in which apples | | | | Other popular phrases that we often use in our |
| have moved off the tree and into our language, | | | | culture are: "the apple of my eye" and "how do |
| games, and stories: | | | | you like them apples!" |
| It is a very common in our culture for someone | | | | As you can see, there are many ways in which |
| to say, "That is like comparing apples and | | | | apples are fully ingrained into our culture. In fact, it |
| oranges," Meaning that you are trying to compare | | | | is likely that no other fruit is nearly as important |
| two things that are incomparable. | | | | to our American culture as the apple is. |
| Apples have even made it into our folklore: most | | | | The apple is truly a traditional fruit in the United |
| kids know the story of Johnny Appleseed, the | | | | States, and it is a fruit that seems to have many |
| boy who traveled across the United States with | | | | traditions associated with it. |
| an upside down pot on his head, dispersing apple | | | | For instance, "bobbing for apples." This is a game |
| seeds. | | | | that is especially popular around the autumn |
| And everyone knows that "an apple a day keeps | | | | months and Halloween. In this game, a large |
| the doctor away." Although this proverb has | | | | bucket or cauldron is filled with water, and apples |
| some merit, most still just pass it off as an old | | | | are place in it to float. Participants must bob for |
| wive's tale. An apple a day will not keep the | | | | the apples, trying to catch one in their teeth, |
| doctor away if you do not also eat right, | | | | without using their hands. |
| exercise, and refrain from excesses such as | | | | If, though, you take a look at another culture, a |
| smoking and drinking a lot! | | | | culture in another region of the world, they will |
| A phrase that really shows how apples have | | | | likely have far different traditional fruits. And along |
| become a major part of our society is, "that is as | | | | with their different traditional fruits, they will likely |
| American as apple pie!" Apples are completely | | | | have different idioms, stories, and games based |
| ingrained in our culture, and apple pies are an | | | | on those fruits, wound into their culture. |