In this term paper I’m going to answer the question if the Western Myth and the idea of an
American Frontier are still current topics in modern day America.
The glorified myth of a frontier moving faster and faster into the unknown is deeply rooted in
the heads of the American people, since the first settlers moved westwards, over hundred-fifty
years ago.
It had an enormous impact on America’s history and on its national identity. But can this idea
of a frontier still be found today, or is it just a historically important, but today mostly
unappealing episode in recent history books?
Furthermore, I will try to find an answer where hints and connections to the myth of the Old
West - with its cowboys, lonesome riders and sheriffs - can be found in modern American
culture. Are those images of the wild, deserted West still topical and influential, and if so,
where. In which parts of life and culture can they be found, or are the Old West and the
Western Myth just outdated?
I’m going to carry out my researches about this topic with the help of the books ‘The
American frontier – Go West, young man’ by Prof. Dr. Michael Porsche,
‘The frontier in American History’ by Frederick Jackson Turner, ‘The Wild West: Myth and
History’ by Alexander Emmerich and several internet sources to illustrate and prove my
theses.
At the end of this term paper I hope to be able to point out, in which parts of everyday life in
modern America references to the myth of the Wild West and the American Frontier can be
found and which significance they have.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Description of the Western Myth and the American Frontier
III. Parts of modern life, where references to the Western Myth can be found
a. Cowboy movies
b. Advertisement
c. Political speeches
d. Country and Western music
IV. The American Frontier as metaphor in connection to other “frontiers”
V. Conclusion: The significance of the Western Myth in modern day America
Objectives and Topics
This research paper aims to determine whether the Western Myth and the concept of the American Frontier remain relevant in contemporary American society. It investigates how historical tropes of the Wild West are manifested in modern culture, examining their influence on national identity and political discourse.
- Analysis of the Western Myth and its connection to the American Frontier.
- Examination of Western imagery in cinema and popular entertainment.
- Evaluation of marketing strategies utilizing the cowboy archetype.
- Study of political rhetoric referencing the "frontier" and manifest destiny.
- Investigation of Country and Western music as a cultural vessel for these myths.
Excerpt from the Book
1. The Western Myth
The Western Myth is the largely mythologized and/or idealized look at the life of the people living in the ‘Old West’. The Western Myth is more or less what people of today image the life in the Wild West had been like. It includes the idea of cowboys and sheriffs keeping law and order in their cities, people living on the edge of the civilized land, the so-called ‘frontier land’ as it will be explained further below, fighting for their rights of freedom and individualism. It is the mostly overvalued imagination of the life-conditions and living-circumstances in the American West, during the time of the pioneers in the second half of the 19th century. The Western Myth is their romanticized glorification.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: This chapter outlines the central research question regarding the continued relevance of the Western Myth and the American Frontier in modern American life.
II. Description of the Western Myth and the American Frontier: This section defines the historical and conceptual foundations of the Western Myth and the American Frontier, including the concept of "manifest destiny".
III. Parts of modern life, where references to the Western Myth can be found: This chapter analyzes four distinct areas—Cowboy movies, Advertisement, Political speeches, and Country and Western music—where these myths are actively perpetuated.
IV. The American Frontier as metaphor in connection to other “frontiers”: This chapter explores how the frontier concept serves as a metaphor for modern societal challenges, such as the space race and the fight against communism.
V. Conclusion: The significance of the Western Myth in modern day America: This chapter synthesizes the findings, concluding that the frontier remains a powerful, though glorified, symbol in American culture and politics.
Keywords
Western Myth, American Frontier, Manifest Destiny, Cowboy, American Culture, National Identity, Political Rhetoric, Frontier Spirit, Popular Culture, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, Pioneers, Modern America, Wilderness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines whether the historical Western Myth and the American Frontier concept remain significant and influential in contemporary American culture.
What are the primary thematic fields covered in this study?
The work explores pop culture (movies and music), commercial advertising strategies, and political rhetoric as primary vehicles for the Western Myth.
What is the central research question?
The author investigates whether the images and ideals associated with the Old West are still topical and influential, or if they have become outdated relics of history.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The study utilizes a qualitative literature analysis, reviewing key historical and sociological texts such as those by Frederick Jackson Turner and Michael Porsche to support the thesis.
What is analyzed in the main body of the paper?
The main body details the persistence of the "frontier" and "cowboy" imagery in films, advertisements, and the speeches of various U.S. presidents.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Western Myth, American Frontier, Manifest Destiny, Cowboy, national identity, and cultural metaphor.
How does the author define the "Marlboro Man" in this context?
The author identifies the "Marlboro Man" as an iconic advertising symbol that bridges the gap between the Wild West and the modern consumer's desire for freedom and masculinity.
What role does the "New Frontier" play in John F. Kennedy's rhetoric?
Kennedy utilized the frontier metaphor to reframe contemporary challenges—such as the Cold War, poverty, and space exploration—as modern trials that required the same pioneering spirit as the 19th-century settlers.
How does George W. Bush use the cowboy image?
Bush purposefully adopted the "cowboy" persona to align himself with traditional American values of independence and toughness, often turning potential criticism into a positive political identifier.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Selina Schuster (Autor:in), 2010, The Significance of the Western Myth in modern America, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/233128
