The Evolution of the Cowboy Myth in the UNESCO Courier
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Cowboy myth, mentality, cultural icon, evolution, UNESCO Courier, Gary N. Granville
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Abstract
Explore the transformation of the cowboy myth in relation to changes in mentality, from its origins to its demystification in the late 20th century. A fascinating analysis of the evolution of a cultural icon.
Extract
[...] The UNESCO Courier, Heroes with Human Faces, The Knights of the Far West - Gary N. Granville (1989) - The Myth of the Cowboy In the UNESCO Courier article, author Gary N. Granville studies the evolution of the cowboy myth in relation to changes in mentality. The cowboy myth is a myth, as it evokes a historical reality, but which is transformed and idealized. The cowboy has several recognizable attributes: jeans and a horse. The myth becomes popular, as it refers, initially, to the knight myth. [...]
[...] The image of the cowboy is now that of a free man in search of individuality and freedom. However, while the content changes, the form remains the same: the cowboy remains always the 'good guy' in the story fighting against the Indians considered as the 'bad guys'. At the end of the 20th century, a demystification of the cowboy occurs due to the search for realism. All the qualities attributed to cowboys until then are reversed: the cowboy is no longer the 'good guy' in the story, but an egotistical and provocative man. [...]
