Critically evaluate the evolving representation of the gun in Western narratives
Sam Tucker - HUA301
America is synonymous with the gun. It is a staple element of American culture, history and society. This has been the case since America’s conception in 1776, and the roots of what could be considered a national obsession with the gun date back even before the nation’s founding. As America has developed, so has the representation of the gun in American narratives. This essay will argue that The West was so central to this development that guns have become intrinsically linked to Western narratives. Once the origin of American gun narratives have been examined through an inspection of the gun’s role in the country’s founding and the establishment of the nation’s values, the focus will primarily be on the connection between the gun and the mythical cowboy. The mythical cowboy will be contrasted to his real counterpart in order to expose the details of and reasons behind the myth. In doing so, reality will also be separated from myth regarding the gun’s role on the frontier. Much of this analysis will be rooted in examining the myths proliferated throughout society by Hollywood during the mid 20 th Century. This essay will then look to the Post-Western, which critique the tropes of the classical Western which preceded them. Through an analysis of arguably the most notable Post-Western, Unforgiven (1992) the power of the popular representation of the gun in Western narratives will be exposed. As a result, the modern reshaping of the gun’s representation can be better explored. The power of the gun as a symbol, highlighted by Post-Westerns, preface the politicisation of the gun and its mythical owner the cowboy in modern politics. The policies and activities of the National Rifle Association (NRA) will provide the clearest evidence for how the manipulation of the Western narrative and the representation of the gun has come to be used for political gain. Guns have held a notable place in American society since their influential role in the founding of America in 1776. They were the tool by which Americans forged their liberty during the American Revolutionary War. This idea that the gun is the tool to uphold American values, although centuries old, continues to resonate with millions of Americans today due to political applications of the narrative. This idea is a topic for debate in modern America, however during the country’s founding, the narrative that guns were significant is inarguable.
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