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Inaccuracies And Misrepresentation Of Native Americans In Western Film

1882 Words8 Pages

Samantha Padilla
60W Cluster

Instructor Rachel Birke

June 4, 2023

Literature Review: Analysis of stereotype on Native Americans In Western Film

Abstract The role of this paper is to investigate the inaccuracies and misrepresentation of Native American Culture. Through the use of literature and multiple films as the main source of media for the exploration of misrepresentation of Native American culture. The conclusion of this research is that Western Film , backed by many forms of literature, have dominated the misrepresentation of Native American peoples, and these types of film continue to be made and exist today.

Introduction Throughout our History as American society, the evolution of the media has been astounding. Media had …show more content…

The idea for Native Americans to be included in film would regard the Native Americans to be portrayed as violent “savages” whose main goal was to harm the White Mens and impede their journey. The Natives in American western films were seen to be cast as characters that the White American cowboy would have to face as a challenge to get on through their Journey. Through western films, it is a common trope for Native Americnas to be placed in a category that would benefit the plot of the movie. The tropes that can be seen as a common pattern for Native Americas in film, as noted by M. Elise Marubbio in the novel Look at the Heart of The Searchers: The Centrality of Look to John Ford’s Commentary on Racism. are the stereotypes of the “Noble Savage” or the “Ignoble Savage”. The “Noble Savage” was the Native that was considered the “good” and complacent Individual, and the “Ignoble Savage” was the Native American who was violent, the antagonist to the white western cowboy. Not only were these categorizations of the Indigenous individuals detrimental to them, it also created a mass consciousness of these inaccuracies of their culture. Through western film and these stereotypes, it had led American Society to believe that Native Americans were violent, wild, and svaggeious, or they can be calm, spiritual, and wise. Although the latter may have been interpreted in a positive manner, the former was detrimental to the Culture of the Native

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