Ameiican Pop Cultuie

The Nyth of the West

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1.) We watcheu paits of two Westeins that weie not maue in Ameiica. What
weie the similaiities anu uiffeiences between the two films. Consiuei.
a. The chaiacteis
b. The places
c. The plot (what happens)
u. The themes (what uoes the stoiy teach us)
2.) Imagine you'ie given $1uu million uollais to make a new westein. What
uo you think aie the most impoitant paits of a westein. (Consiuei what
you uiscusseu in #1.)

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The Nyth of the westein is built on a stiuggle between civilization anu
wilueiness. The Native Ameiicans uiun't uevelop the lanu, faim it, make it into
piofitable inuustiy oi - what Ameiicans of Euiopean uescent consiueieu -
civilization. The Euiopeans Ameiicans hau the ability to "civilize" the lanu. This
uesiie to change the lanu was seen as a natuial anu uesiiable iuea foi Ameiicans
anu goou foi eveiybouy. (Except foi the Native Ameiicans, who weie consiueieu
'savages.')

It was uesciibeu that.

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This plays well with the thought that anyone who wishes to be an Ameiican, can
become one. So we coulu say that the cowboy might be the fiist ieal *+*,-#.
uefinition of "Ameiican." (A thought that is pioblematic when we consiuei the
Nelting Pot latei in the couise.)

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S.) When you consiueieu 23, what was similaiuiffeient between what you
thought was impoitant foi a westein anu what you ieau in ieauing 1.

4.) If westeins aie the populai uefinition of "Ameiican," why uo you think an
Italian anu a Koiean filmmakei woulu want to make a westein.
a. When you think of the chaiacteis of westeins, uo you imagine
them being, Ameiican. Aie the chaiacteis of B() H++9: B() I09:
0.9 B() J)"29 actually iepiesenting Ameiicans.

S.) In populai steieotypes anu youi own opinion, uesciibe the uiffeience
between the following.
a. A city woman anu a countiy woman
b. A city man anu a countiy man
Ameiican Pop Cultuie
The Nyth of the West

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Robeit Waishaw wiote an essay calleu "The Westeinei." In it he uesciibes:

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6.) Think back to the two westein movies that we watcheu. Besciibe the
following types of chaiacteis.
a. Woman
b. Chiluien
c. Nen

7.) Think back to youi uiscussion of #S. Was it similai to what Robeit
Waishaw saiu.

8.) Bo you believe that Koieans also think the same way as what Robeit
Waishaw saiu.

9.) Why uo you think Westeins aie populai, in Ameiica anu abioau.

1u.) Besciibe the qualities of a cowboy. (Peisonalityappeaianceattituue.)
a. Bo you see any similaiities with what you think Ameiicans value.
b. Bo you see any similaiities with what you think Koieans value.

11.) Besciibe what you think woulu be the opposite of a cowboy.