© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY · WNPR
WPKT · WRLI-FM · WEDW-FM · Public Files Contact
ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Westerns: American Mythology or Cultural History?

Jim Glab
/
flickr creative commons

There are few genres of entertainment more American than the Western. But for a genre so steeped in the iconography of our past, its accuracy in portraying historical event leaves much to be desired. Many argue that the Western is more myth than reality, and that this myth is akin to revisionist history.

Accurate or not, the genre has played a large role in both reflecting and shaping the culture we live in. Whether it's our infatuation with rugged individualism or our nation's love for guns, the influence of Westerns, and the ideals they promote, can be seen all around. This hour we talk with historians and film experts to unravel the origins and significance of the American Western.

GUESTS:

Join the conversation onFacebook and Twitter.

Colin McEnroe, Betsy Kaplan, and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show, which originally aired July 13, 2016.

Josh was a producer for WNPR's talk shows. He has produced for Where We Live and was a producer for The Colin McEnroe Show until 2020.

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Related Content