Archetypes in the genre of Western

The 8 types are “The True Cowboy,” “The Gunslinger,” “The Gambler,” “The Preacher,” “The Doc,” “The Sheriff,” “The Drunk” and “The Tycoon.”

The True Cowboy (or Cowgirl of course) is the most well rounded and naturally talented of a group or even a region. Things just seem to come naturally to them. They may have much to learn still and tend to be a bit naive and/or lack some social skills. This could be due to the fact that things have always come so easily to them that they didn’t have to work hard, were praised a lot, and took certain things for granted. When things shifted though, whether from tragedy, or just coming of age in a harsh world, they often need to learn to accept that they need the support of others to not only get by, but to truly thrive in life. These types are quite often loners as well. Their natural abilities may have alienated them, or they spent so much time honing or engaging them that they became isolated. There can be quite a thick shell to crack. The True Cowboy is often the main character of a story but at times is an extremely versatile support character or one who jockeys for the spotlight with the main character whether intentionally or not.

the Gunslinger can be proficient in many things but there is one thing they do better than almost anyone. They are the heavy hitters of a team who clean up when called upon. As specialists they can do their one thing even better than the True Cowboy can. It happens to be something that comes in very handy of course but it may not come to fruition right away. The Gunslinger can seem pretty normal or average until they completely blow away everyone around them when they best all others by showing off their particular skill. From that insecurity Gunslingers can be cocky or downright narcissistic. They have a certain charm that still makes them likable though. Perhaps it is the fact that they play up their one incredible skill so well that it’s easy enough to overlook certain flaws. The bravado is also often tongue and cheek since the Gunslinger is usually aware that outside of their wheelhouse they have to work pretty hard. Related skills to their specialty still can come naturally but a lot of things don’t. The Gunslinger works best as part of a group so they can fulfill a certain role better than anyone else around which makes them extremely valuable.

The Gambler is the wild card of the group who isn’t afraid to take chances when the stakes are high. Other characters may do the same but this is the primary feature of the gambler and they have the best luck of anyone. They can also be a trickster type since they possess a mercurial and playful personality. When they lose it can go very sour but when they win, which is remarkably in high proportion, it makes them the envy of all, or the lovable underdog. They are brash and can be very frustrating because they refuse to operate sensibly. Being so lucky and willing to take risks they have come to rely on their cheeky bravado which of course is both a strength and a weakness. Many a gambler has found their early demise but the ones who find their way into epic stories have had the dice come up well for them because they mix in just enough skill with the chances they take. There is one more quality the gambler has and that is their ability to be okay with losing, even if it costs them their lives. This is the character who is most willing and ready to sacrifice themselves for the greater good since they feel they are living on borrowed time, and the biggest score they could possible rake in is to go “all in” as a hero.

The Preacher is not necessarily an actual preacher or even spiritual type but they are the heart and soul of a group. They have a strong code of ethics and highly developed conscious, although it may or may not be aligned with the other characters or even the law. Wherever their views lie in the context of the setting the Preacher is the moral compass of the group. They may also serve as a mentor or teacher to the other characters. Often they have an incredible faith in themselves and those around them which causes them to be in the background until they have their big moment to shine. When they do it can shock those around them. The subdued and passive do-gooder becomes a holy avenger and smites everything their path. They are able to do this when something challenges their dearly held values the most, and especially when they are backed into a corner or need to defend their loved ones. Sometimes the Preacher is the leader or contends for leadership if their values feel threatened by the current leadership or group dynamics. If things are relatively smooth they will be happy to be a key player (sometimes one of the most powerful in the long run) in the quest to see the greater good win out.

The Sheriff is the character who enforces the standards of what should be going on. They may or may not be in a position of authority but hold this kind of sway either way. Where the Preacher is the moral compass of a group The Sheriff is the ethics police. They know how the world works, who to go to for problems, how to investigate, and how to downright get things done. The Sheriff has an observer mindset and can be a bit lofty and detached. They actually have quite a bit of compassion but it comes out as a way of loyal service to the cause rather than in the form of warm, fuzzy feelings. A lot of the time they are highly intelligent or highly intuitive and this can make them a bit impatient with those who don’t see what they do or can’t keep up. Ultimately the Sheriff means well but it can be a rocky journey to find justice and that can mean sacrifices of health and personal well-being along the way. Of all types The Sheriff can truly act as an effective lone wolf but still recognizes they are most effective with at least a partner or an advisor to give them some feedback on their theories or leverage someone else’s skills to be more efficient.

The Doc is the biggest support the group has. They may be a healer, a technical wiz, or just very knowledgeable about a lot of things but one thing is for sure: they are the fixer of the group and that is their primary role. They usually love that role because the skill/s they use to fix things and people are their biggest passion. In fact they can be quite eccentric because they are so heady but sometimes they are more in the background and are content with just doing their thing. They can be a bit detached from the major plot or conflict but are pivotal, sometimes more than anyone but the main character.

The Drunk is almost if not always out of it and yet somehow manages to pull things off. Usually they have a good heart but just like to fool around more than anything. They spur into action when they have to and do so whimsically. As such they are often comic relief characters but like any old West saloon drunk they can have oddly sober moments when they have to fight or figure something out. Connected to this is their high tolerance for their vices. They may indulge so much because they have to in order to feel a buzz but that’s also why they are strangely functional while also completely relaxed. They are often tricksters who seem to possess special or secret knowledge hidden under their layers of absurdity.

The Tycoon is almost always the bad guy although sometimes is a misunderstood good guy or neutral character. They have an immense scope of vision and big plans to back it up. A headstrong and yet sensible approach makes them extremely formidable. Usually they are trying to acquire power and/or wealth but the main drive is to simply accomplish what they want to do so they could be quite chaotic or mad since no one else understands the point they are trying to make. Like the railroad tycoon failing to buy off a town to run tracks through the area they will turn (even more) selfish and violent in order to get what they want. Sometimes The Tycoon is a good guy anti-hero with a single minded focus on revenge or avengeance, but like the bad guy version they will stop at nothing and are willing to bulldoze over others who are complicit in opposing their mission.

One of the modern researchers of the genre of Western J. Cavelti, gives the following definition of the genre: Western usually refers to a stereo-typed adventure novel about the Far West, usually associated with the period 1849-1900. The genre is associated with the epic conquest of the Wild West. Western became a product of two arts: he was born in the pages of literature, but world fame came to life primarily in cinema.

The complexity of the analysis of a literary western is that, first, it easily incorporates elements of other literary genres: detective, trivial and mystical novel, historical-adventure, novel of education, and so on. Secondly, it is frankly mythological. The mythologies he uses are extremely close in nature to the general problems of any culture, they are somehow connected with universal history, although they are "missed" through the national ideological context, the American consciousness. Hence the special character of the artistic conventionality inherent in the genre, which cannot be assessed from the standpoint of ordinary realistic truthfulness.

The genre is characterized by operating with a certain set of oppositions; among them we can distinguish the following pairs:

- American West - American East (opposition inherent in a purely western genre),

- Wildness - Civilization (opposition inherited from the prose of Romanticism). Often acts as an opposition Patriarchy (freedom) - Bourgeoisie (bargaining, regulation by law) - is also part of the legacy of romantic ideology,

- New World (essential advantage of American ideals) - Old World (a priori external advantage of culture),

- Individual (personality) - Mass (crowd),

- Masculine principle (will, action) - Feminine principle (state, order),

- Good (in absolute) - Evil (in absolute).

Each part of these oppositions in a particular plot is usually correlated vertically and serves as a multifaceted universal symbol, for example: the American West - Wildness - Freedom - Democracy and so on.