The Myth and Reality of the American West Essay Example for Free

The Myth and Reality of the American West Essay We have all heard the stories about the old west. There are the infamous gunfights, the cowboys that steal all of the women’s hearts, and the many stagecoach robberies. But how can we tell fact from fiction? Where is the line drawn between the reality of the American west and the myth portrayed in the numerous books and movies? Everything may not have been as adventurous as we believe, or as glamorous. But the real question is: what is true and what is not? ​It is shocking how many misconceptions are made about the old west. I for one, definitely picture what most people probably do. Cowboys are always the first that come to mind. Everyone loved a rustic, rugged, handsome cowboy. They saved the day on all occasions a nd at the end of the day, went and swept the woman off her feet and they rode off into the sunset on horseback together. The cowboys were the â€Å"good guys† who wore the cowboy hat and boots and fought the â€Å"bad guys† in gunfights right outside of the bat-wing door saloons. A mental picture is drawn of two men with their backs to each other taking ten paces in opposite direction, only to draw guns and fight â€Å"fairly† after turning around. Cowboys were the ultimate white, southern gentlemen who always won the lady’s heart. There are, of course, many other myths about the old west. For instance, the legal system; there is the town sheriff with the star badge and uniform worn at all times, who just happens to show up whenever there is trouble. The sheriff settles disputes that break out amongst townspeople and always makes the right decision, in putting the bad guy in jail to bring the ever-so unpredictable outcome of a â€Å"happy ending†. ​ The popular song, â€Å"Cowboy Take Me Away† by the country music group the Dixie Chicks, reinforces almost all concepts of the myth of the American west. The chorus is: â€Å"Cowboy take me away. Fly this girl as high as you can into the wild blue. Set me free oh I pray. Closer to heaven above and closer to you, closer to you.† This is a prime example of the misconstrued ideas about the west. This verse portrays exactly what every naà ¯ve person believes about this subject. The handsome cowboy comes to take you away to a place where you can forget all cares and troubles you have. He has come to carry you off into the sunset where the two of you will live together where only love and happiness matters. Living the simple life with the man of her dreams, who will treat her with respect and love her unconditionally, is the fantasy of every woman. The entire song portrays the beauty and simplicity of nature and life in the west, where the hustle and bustle of everyday life , elsewhere, doesn’t exist. Who wouldn’t want that? If it only existed†¦ What is the reality of the American west? Well contrary to popular belief, cowboys weren’t actually the heroes. Cowboys were of all races and were mostly poor farm boys. Cowboys were just what the name states which is, males who raised and herded cattle for a living. Most women fell for the wealthy men of a higher class than for mere â€Å"farm boys†. The west wasn’t peaceful, pleasant place that most people picture it as, except for the occasional bad guy. There were many problems in the west including lack of good food, lack of money, constant fighting with Indians over territory, and increasing violence (this was especially true when saloons, brothels, and gambling dens began to open). Another misconception of this time was that of the legal system. In all actuality there was not one at all. It wasn’t until much later, after problems increased even more, that a so called legal system was developed. This was the miners’ courts. Miners in the area served on a jury and settled disputes in that way. This was a very inefficient system, because the miners favored the powerful, popular, and wealthy. The poor, weak, and unpopular were often charged with crimes they didn’t commit. Hollywood has come up with many different ways to make the old west seem so exciting and adventurous. Whether it’s through a song, an old movie, or a fictional book, the myth of the American west comes across as the truth for most people. The truth is never as interesting, so we depend on made up stories to entertain us.