Following the Civil War, many Americans chose to settle west of the Mississippi river and shaped a distinct culture in this region. Generations later, this fascinating culture was transformed into the Wild West, a romanticized version of the lifestyle, to entertain the masses. The romanticized perception of the Wild West differs extensively from the reality of western settlement, but in some aspects mirrors the true western lifestyle in the post-Civil War period. Native Americans and cowboys, for
story and ignore the reality. In the 19th century, people thought to believe that the United States was destined to expand from the east to the west. The term manifest destiny was used to express the belief of the English settlers and their expedition to expand their society across North America. They believed that it was God’s chosen plan to have America expand from
The novel On the Road by Jack Kerouac and the film Wild based on Cheryl Strayed’s life are two biographies that share a similar story of their journeys altering their identities across America; both texts have a common theme of sadness; and the two stories shares the idea of questioning identities. Sal Paradise and Cheryl Strayed are the main characters of these texts and questions the values of their society while on their journey. The film Wild and the novel On the Road are two stories about a
explore the reaches of the Americas from Quebec in Canada, to the Rocky Mountains to the wide-open spaces of the American Wild West. Nonetheless, despite their love for adventure and danger, they genuinely care for other people and are always willing to help someone in need. The Chantry’s ancestry goes back to gallant Irish gentry, that starts from their patriarch Tatton Chantry. Just like the Talons they have rogue skill sets that serve them well in the American Wild West. The Chantry’s boast European
Western Identity The Wild West, in American history, is often thought of as being an ideology filled with adventure and happy endings. This picture of the Wild West is largely in place due to the romanticizing of the West by Hollywood. Movies portraying the West are filled with stereotypes, whether they are purposeful or not, that do not accurately show what defines the Western persona. Stereotypical situations such as Indians being depicted as savages and noble sheriffs saving the day leave
Omaha’s Westroads Mall (Schwartz). These tragedies are not inevitable, so people wonder one question. Are guns in our society getting out of control? Four out of every ten Americans own a gun; which leads to the perception that America has returned to the Wild Wild West. In fact, it is to be assumed that where guns are present, there is a higher risk of drug abuse, crime, and accidents. About 31,224 people died from gun violence in 2007. In just one day, 268 people were shot
author Laurence Shames explains that Americas fascination of wanting as much of everything as possible has played a key role in building this nations character and has been evident through Americas short history. Laurence Shames claims that the so called "ethic of decency" has been absent in the American way of life and replaced by an "ethic of success". While Shames has a valid point, I consider the lack of emphasis on decency and contentment in America a positive rather negative. Shames
The west had small towns popping up everywhere and with little to no law, the Marshals were called in to police the “Wild West”. The Marshals duties really didn’t with the exception of serving a lot more warrants and the hunting of outlaws. Some of the famous outlaws hunted by the Marshals include Billy the Kid, Jessie James, and Butch Cassidy. Marshals such as Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickok and Pat Garret were perhaps just as famous or infamous
The Wild West The Wild West is one of the most famous time periods in American history. Spanning from post Civil War to the early 1900’s, the West was plagued by outlaws, deadly diseases, and harsh weather. The grim reality of the Old West is often overlooked, due to Hollywood’s portrayal of it. Many movies about the West are generally over dramatic; sending the message that shootouts happened everyday at high noon and other over the top conceptions. The reality of the “Wild West”, America in the
characteristics as the “Myth of the Frontier,” with myth meaning a body of tales, fables, and fantasies that help people make sense of their history and capture their attention. Although the classic symbols of the Myth may be outdated, the ideals of the “Wild West” portrayed through the mainstream