Old John

John Wayne has always been one of my father's favorite actors. I haven't seen many movies with John in them, but the ones I have seen I really liked. He is definitely worthy of being a cowboy. He really does well at the character. I dont think I've ever seen a picture of him when he isn't dressed up in the western attire.

I expect quality from John's movies. Like I said, I've never seen a bad John Wayne movie. When people say western they think of John Wayne. He is just classic.

The Lone Ranger

Very interesting to say the least. You can definitely tell its 50's hollywood. Especially when the ranger conveniently finds a spring coming out of the rocks, and when Tonto comes by just in the right time to save him. It is like reality doesn't exist.

What I find more interesting is Tonto. He is protrayed as an indian, but his speech is horrible. I don't doubt the fact that many native americans couldn't speak english well, but they all didn't speak it horribly in short choppy sentences did they? He is obviously supposed to be portrayed as the lesser of the two men. Why couldn't the lone ranger run into an intelligent Native American?

I also like how the Lone Ranger is so set on the bringing of justice down upon the outlaws. When compared to the story about Jesse James the people trying to catch the outlaws were more worried about the bounty and fame. But the Ranger doesn't even want his identity to be known.

Dime Novel, Jesse James

I would have to say the most interesting thing that came from the group discussion is how we agreed that no matter what Novel was read, the endings were all somewhat in a way disappointing. The people who read the Jesse James novel were surprised by the lack of justice brought down upon Jesse at the end of the story. Also, in California Joe he goes through the whole story triumphing many encounters, and then gets shot while on his porch. I just found that one hilarious. Its like the end to a bad thriller movie.

If I were going to write a paper on Jesse James I would probly write it about how both the detectives and Jesse were driven by greed. They both were always want money. The detectives weren't trying to bring justice upon Jesse and his gang. They wanted the bounty and the buried treasure that was so rich in wealth. Jesse could have escaped if he wanted to, but he wanted to rob another train or anther bank. The detectives could have killed Jesse many times but they wanted him alive. I found it interesting how these gangs were greedy.

Jesse James, Chapters 8-13

What??? Jesse didnt die in a hail of gunfire? How can the "bad" guy not die. How could they finish a story like that? I really dislike the lack of closure the story had at the end. The detective didnt even go back for the treasure or to finish Jesse off.

One of the weirdest things about this story is the lack of justice you find amongst the detectives, and Lawson the most. Instead of them caring about bringing the James gang to justice, which they did to some extent, but only for the rewards that came with it. Lawson didnt rescue the boy for the kid's well-being. He got him for the judge who was offering him money to pay him. The detectives were only tracking down Jesse for the large bounty on his head, not because they wanted to be heroes.

Also the story is very interesting in the fact that its not about Jesse James. Its about Lawson, the detective, trying to hunt him down. It surprised me that the narrator was someone of an outside source rather than Jesse James himself or another outlaw amongst his gang. It seemed unusual in the manner that it wassn't all about Jesse James.

Jesse James Chapters. 4,5,6,7

Jesse and his gang successfully rob the train. It was interesting at how easily the train conductors gave up the cash on the train, without even one shot fired. The undercover detective gets found out by the gang, but only to escape with the help of Jesse's wife. The detective meets back up with his fellow detectives, and plan to ambush the outlaws upon their next bank robbery. Sheppard gets figured out, but escapes while putting a bullet in Jesse's neck that wasn't fatal. When the detectives approach the town they were distracted by some cattlemen who ended up being Jesse's gang members. They tie a Chinaman to a bull and the bull tears apart the city and causes a diversion for the robbers to escape. The whole time the detectives assumed that Jesse was dead. Two men bring in "Jesse's body" and want to claim the reward. Bill Lawson figures out its not Jesse, but also recognizes Jesse disguised among the crowd. A vicious mob chases Jesse out of town, unfotunately not killing him. Hear-say about a future train heist is amidst and the detectives plan to be on the train this time.

I'm curious as if the detectives will be able to kill any of the gang members, maybe even Jesse, Frank, or one of the Younger brothers when they attack the train. Its funny how Jesse and his gang is always one step ahead of the detectives.

Jesse James Chapters 1,2,3

The story about the Chicago detective under disguise amongst the Jame's gang is great. The story is full of shoutouts, murders, and robberies one would expect in a story about a group of bandits in the Wild West. The doctor who has infiltrated the gang's ranks by a plot through Jesse's ex-lover who has died is slowly gaining Jesse's trust, and when he gets his chance will try to capture both Frank and Jesse but also the woman's child who Jesse has abducted. Jesse and his gang are planning a big "job" and I can't wait and see what happens to the doctor, and whether he captures the Jame's brothers.

Baum, Charlot, and Deloria Readings

I was very surprised when I read Baum's editorials about Native Americans. From the same brain who wrote The Wizard of Oz somehow wrote these very biased accounts. Baum states that the white race, "by law of conquest, by justice of civilization, are masters of the American continent, and the best safety of the frontier settlements will be secured by the total annihilation of the few remaining Indian." Those words right there show a very anti-diverse point of view which was shared by most Americans in this time period. Following the Wounded Knee Massacre Baum wrote another editorial stating, "in or to protect our civilization, follow it up by one more wrong and wipe these untamed and untambable creatures from the face of the Earth." Baum even admits that the Massacre was a wrong doing towards the native people and still believes the genocide of the Native Americans should be carried out. This reinforces Baum's idea of the White superiority over Native Americans.

In Deloria's American Indians and American Identities he contemplates the reasons for the colonists who dumped the tea into the Boston Harbor. I believe the reason for these colonist's actions was because they knew people's ways of viewing natives. The colonists new people viewed natives as savage, and untame. I also believe that they dressed up as natives to escape the expected behavior that should come from the "British" people. Who are often found to be very elegant, and the idea of the revolting to the established government. So if they dressed as a people known for their animosity established by the press and those who feared natives.

Charlot shows the reader how the native race is not "savage, untame or untamable." Charlot lived peacefully on his lands until his people were forced onto the reservations in Washington. As if relocation wasn't a hard enough punishment, his people were taxed like any other citizens of the country. I believe that if a person doesn't have the same rights as others shouldn't be taxed. The Flathead people didn't even get the opportunity to live where they pleased so therefore they shouldn't have been taxed.

"Noble Savage," Helen Hunt Jackson, and Zitkala Sa Readings

These readings were really interesting, and for the most part I wanted to be able to keep on reading more about these entries. It dumbfounds me on how inhumane and unacceptable a certain race can be towards people of another race. Just because someone's skin is darker and they believe in different religions or ways to live doesn't mean that they should be treated horribly or called "savages." In the Helen Hunt Jackson entry The Ponca indians did nothing to deserve what they had brought down upon them. They should not have had to go through starvation and exile. They met American settlers with open arms towards peace, and in the end got shot in the back. I'm very surprised that excerpts like this were able to be published during the 19th century, and after they were people still did little for the Native Americans.

Zitkala Sa's story as a young indian girl was very interesting. It showed a first person point of view from the Indians that isn't often found in literature talking about the Old West. You could definitely feel the animosity her mother felt towards the white settlers moving into the west. Her accounts as a young girl show how innocent and unknowing she was about their situation. At least she was given a chance to be educated in school, but I think you can educate someone while still having the respect to let them keep their culture and heritage. The missionaries didnt have to Easternize them just to teach them.