The Truth about Cowboy Types - 1782 Words

For most Americans in this age, the word â€Å"cowboy† will call to mind iconic images of a horseman wearing a wide-brimmed hat, a belt of bullets, and a flannel shirt; he might be guiding his herd lazily along grassy plains, singing folk songs around a campfire with his companions under a starry sky, riding off with a beautiful ranch girl into an iconic sunset backdrop, or even wearing a mask and enforcing vigilante justice in a small town terrorized by hardened western thugs or hostile Native Americans. These clichà ©s are drawn mostly from the hundreds of movies and television productions that claim the title â€Å"Western†. This cinematic conception of the cowboy was a personification of the American spirit of rugged individualism and intrepid pioneering but it is largely only the result of Hollywood westerns of the 20th century, and not consistent with the actual reality of cowboy life. While there were many different types of cowboys spread across the Americas with drastically different lifestyles, mannerisms, reputations, and backgrounds, by far the most easily recognized are the Anglo cowboys of the American West, and the Mexican vaqueros. As the eastern cattle herding practices spread further west, and Mexican vaqueros moved north, they met in the American western frontier; â€Å"Moving further west to the semi-arid plains, the habits and techniques of southeastern Anglo cowboys changed substantially under the influence of Mexico’s vaqueros† (Slatta 18). Though from oppositeShow MoreRelatedAdvertising Essay1241 Words   |  5 PagesThe Urban Cowboy Ever flip through a mens magazine such as Gentlemens Quarterly or Maxim and wonder if their advertisements are the same as a womens fashion magazine? Do their ads focus on health, fashion and beauty as much as a womens magazine? The ads today relate to every type of man whether you are a family man, a playboy, gentlemen, an average Joe, a playful youth, a metro sexual or a mans man such as the cowboy. Many men have never been exposed to more than the basic clothing andRead MoreEssay The Cowboy Figure1467 Words   |  6 PagesThe Cowboy Figure The figure of the cowboy is prominent, not only in America’s history, but also in contemporary society. The cowboy has always been regarded as the epitome of freedom, machismo and individuality, and his character maintains a certain romantic quality about it. Riding the range with his trusty horse, forging the frontier, and exposing himself to the mercy of the wilderness, the cowboy lives for himself alone and yet he lives the life about which the rest of society can onlyRead MoreThe Heroes Of The American West1449 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican West, that group has for many years been the Cowboys. Whether defending women and children against the threats from Native American â€Å"Indians† or other armed villains, or participating in one on one duels (or draws) against the â€Å"outlaws,† the Cowboys have been regarded as warriors who are the symbols of protection and heroism. In Arthurian society, that role of warrior was played by the Knights. There are many parallels between the modern Cowboy and the medieval Knight, and I agree with FelicityRead MoreWhy I Should Be A Good Adult1103 Words   |  5 PagesIt took me years to figure out what I wanted to be when I grow up. Truth be told I still don t know, and don t ever plan too. Mostly because I cannot imagine becoming a true adult. I’d have to do adult things like return a sweater I didn t like or gardening. Gardening! I’d have to spend hours upon hours toiling in fields for plants that won’t live to see spring! Or cooking, forbid it that I should ever enjoy cooking. 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Student athletes are not any type of employee or a professional athlete who get paidRead MoreAnalysis Of Akira Kurosawa ( 1910-1998 )1411 Words   |  6 Pageswere Japanese and aimed solely at a Japanese audience. However, many writers on the topic saw camera movements or set ups that resembled John Ford, read about Kurosawa’s admiration for westerns and American pulp fiction, and added it up into a bland statement of Kurosawa being an essentially Western film maker. And Japanese critics, puzzled about why he was so popular in the West compared to other film makers, decided this is right. He has often been called the most Western of Japanese film directorsRead More America Essay5829 Words   |  24 Pagesseries of myths about one’s heroic ancestors. America and Me (1) History is fabrication, coated with honey, and bubbled from all evil, in order to make life worth living. American History is no exemption. Our history books contain heroes. Men and women displayed to be as perfect in life as Christ himself. Their lives are relived through the typed paragraphs, their faults extinct, their miracles numerous. This is a fabrication. A lie is a lie if only half the truth is told. WhenRead MoreFilm, Art And Literature Essay1338 Words   |  6 Pagesnineteenth and twentieth century has proven to be a very influential tool to engage mass amounts of people. Motion picture serve as a gateway to fantasies, allowing audiences to enter a world filled with various types of characters and vivid scenes. Films have also been utilized to transmit truths about humanity in a way that is easier to grasp through a fictional format. Tough and uncomfortable topics such as war, religion, politics and intimacy can be addressed with film to present these them es into the