Dear John Wayne Essay

In “Dear John Wayne” by Louise Erdrich, it becomes obvious to the reader that Erdrich feels as if Native Americans, such as herself, are inferior to the entire white population. Throughout her poem, Erdrich expresses her opinions and the actions of white people like “John Wayne.” The message she sends to the reader brings attention to the display of Native Americans. Erdrich strives to express her opinion that the media displays Native Americans in an insignificant fashion and that the media believes their worth is inconspicuous. First of all, Erdrich’s use of John Wayne indicates additional information than just the importance of his movies and the drive-in. John Wayne is a character in numerous Western movies from the past, which nearly…

argues her views about the treatment of Native Americans in her poem “Dear John Wayne”. Erdrich’s tone and who she is really addressing are intermingled together to paint a picture of attending a drive-in to watch an old western movie in which Wayne is the starring role. The poem is somewhat like a letter with a beginning introduction and a closing disguised as the beginning and ending of a movie. The way Erdrich approaches her argument is strange and leaves the reader wondering what the point…

people who were most likely previously not heard from. Until recently, think civil rights era, we (humans) were, for the most part, hearing only a portion of history. This lopsidedness has created a gap in reality for us. It has shifted our thinking in ridiculous ways, we have glorified murderers, genocide and thieves. In Louise Eldrich’s Dear John Wayne she attempts to combat this one-sidedness when it comes to Native Americans. In this poem Eldrich attempts to lift some of the misconceptions…

“The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” contains many of the ideas that we have discussed about the American Frontier and the role it has played in shaping America. The movie illustrates the idea from Turner’s Frontier Thesis that as Americans settled past the frontier and into the “savage” west, society had to start over and go through the process of rebuilding itself. The movie’s plot depicts the death of the “Wild West” caused by Rance’s influence in the town. At the start of the movie, Ranse…

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance examines the Old West in a flashback. It compares and contrasts how the past emerges into the present. As viewers, we are trying to understand how the forces of civilization, now the present, can conquest “the law of the West,” from the past. In the duration of the present, the heroes of the Old West are only called a myth. There are three different individuals in the movie. There is Ransom Stoddard, Tom Doniphon, and Liberty Valence. Random Stoddard is an…

think of an iconic star such as John Wayne riding on a horse in a beautiful landscape. In one of the most classic Westerns, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne, Captain Nathan Brittles is tasked with simultaneously easing tensions with the aggressive Cheyenne Indians and transporting his commander’s wife & niece back to the safe East. Although he is planned to retire in just six days, Brittles is still tasked on his last mission to drive the Cheyenne…

Vietnam was definitely not a popular war with the American public and unlike the time in and around World War II, producers stayed away from making any movies during that time. There was one John Wayne classic from 1968 titled The Green Berets that was produced that even portrayed that dislike of the war. A main character in the movie was that of a reporter that was very critical of not only the war, but in some cases the soldiers fighting in the war. John Wayne was able though to put a…

There are no cowboys or savage Indians tormenting or being tormented, there is simply a task at hand having to do with their tradition. Rather than a film with hero John Wayne protecting the Wild West from the ambushing Indians, the audience sees Indians minding to themselves and fulfilling their own customs. The film emphasizes family over the little violence and prejudices taking place. This also takes place in the contemporary 20th century, while most of the notorious and stereotypical…

to Chaney for good and tries to pull Mattie out then the other Marshall that had been hit in the head hard got up. The Marshall then walked over to them and pulled them out of the snake pit. He died doing that last action. Cogburn then takes her to see a good Indian doctor. John Wayne’s characters were what made every one of his characters seem like a truly good guy like the signature John Wayne good guy act. John was a good…

Toby pairs up with the only man he knows would accept to him offering such a crazy task, his brother Tanner, a man who would break every rule there is just for the ‘fun’ of trying to get away with it. Jeff Bridges fills the classic role of a Texas ranger that is out to stop the two robbers from stealing any more money from the Texas banks that he swore to protect. Bridges attempts the best John Wayne impression that he has. For ranger Marcus it is his last case as he will be retiring after the…