Textual Analysis Essay

Representation of masculinity in a contemporary western.

True Grit is a remake of the 1969 version starring John Wayne. Ethan and Joel Coen direct the 2010 version, the story follows a girl who hires a us marshal to track down the ranch hand who murdered her father in cold blood, the film stars Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfield and Matt Damon. The Film I am going to compare this to will be 3:10 to Yuma which is also a remake. Directed by James Mangold, stars Christian Bale and Russell Crowe. The film follows a poor rancher who helps transport a notorious outlaw from Bisbee to Yuma for money. 

Both films portray the message that masculinity is a key factor to surviving in the west, that even a woman must take a masculine image to not be a victim. Masculine roles can also come into conflict no matter the type of relationship shared; Cogburn and  La Boeuf, Dan and Ben, This aids the Hollywood tradition, the conflict can end up with ones masculine image being broken to show their weakness.

William Evans sees his father as a failure for not being able to stand up for himself and his family, this can be told when he announces that his father wont do anything about the burning down of the barn caused by debt collectors. This is also the reason that he looked up to Ben Wade as he admired his skills, confidence and charisma, which his father doesn't have. He does admire his father again as a person to look up to when he was left the only man standing against Ben Wade's gang. Dan eventually sacrifices himself after successfully transporting Ben wade on the train. After Ben Wade eliminates his gang out of revenge for Dan, William points his gun towards Ben, insinuating that he was going to shoot, but instead chooses not, which is the path of which his father would have taken. This represents the sacrifice and courage that Dan Evans took so that he can finally be idolised in his son’s eyes and the representation of redemption for himself.

In True Grit, Rooster Cogburn can be seen as a father figure towards Mattie Ross. This can be seen throughout the film when he gives her advice and lessons whilst on the path to capturing Tom Chaney. Mattie also can be seen redeeming herself by trying to change Rooster for the better, due to her failings of changing her father for the better before he died. In the end, Rooster rushes Mattie to help after her being bitten by a snake, he takes himself to the limit as also sacrificing the horse of Mattie by straining it until it couldn't stand any more.

The similarities between Mattie and William is that both idolised people who were not their fathers, but the difference is that William went back to idolising his father after seeing the capabilities of which he can achieve as also redeeming himself, although Mattie couldn't accomplish this due to her father being dead and therefore looks upon Rooster.

n 3:10 to Yuma, Ben Wade tells Dan that to be a leader of his gang he must be pure rotten. Although after having enough with playing along with Dan during their run to the train, he and Dan tussle that ends up with Ben strangle Dan. Ben shows compassion when Dan explains the reason of why he has taken the job to bring Ben to the train and so Ben releases Dan from his hold and goes along to the train. This shows how the image of a pure rotten gang leader is only an act and how Ben Wade as a character adjusts his characteristics towards the situation and the people he is around, also he shows a liking to Dan which can be seen throughout the film, this is due to seeing Dan as out of place and admiring how his physical appearance can delude from his capabilities.

In True Grit, Ned Pepper appears to be ruthless when he steps on Mattie's face and threatens to kill her if Rooster doesn't leave. He only does this to get Rooster to leave and shows that he had no intentions of killing Mattie. He seems like he shows compassion when he leaves her with Tom Chaney, and instructs Tom not to harm her and that Ned will send someone to get them later. This shows how Ned may only have conflict with men of the government and that normal civilians are no interest to him. Although Tom explains that they have been abandoned and that no one will come for them, which drives him to try killing Mattie, Ned's intentions are never proven as La Boeuf later kills him.

Ned was only seen near the ending of the True Grit, whilst Ben was seen all throughout 3:10 to Yuma. This may conclude why Ned's character can not be analysed the way that Ben's character can. Both characters show that their aggressive, pure rotten leadership role is only an act. The difference between both characters is that Ben seems to be more professional when around his gang and applies his principles very strongly, whilst Ned can be seen joking around with his gang.

In True Grit and 3:10 to Yuma, it is very clear that leaving the west untouched is impossible, for example; Dan Evans losing his foot and Mattie losing her arm and many other characters who die or get shot. Both films portray the west as being wild and dangerous, and to go into the west would cause injury or death. This gives the message that to survive there you must be masculine, because to be feminine is to be weak and vulnerable, and these characteristics would lead the survival of a person to be non-existent

Dan loses his leg during the civil war due to it being shot by his own men, whilst Mattie loses her Arm due to snakebite.

Both character do not just endure physical loss but also physiological damage. Mattie has seemed to suffer the loss of her innocence that was caused by the death of her father, so she then undertook the masculine role in her family and took charge to take care of business.

Both characters physiological damage came from the limbs of which they loss; Years later in True Grit, you can see that Mattie's character has become harsh and posh, this can be seen by the way she carries herself and the way she addresses people, this is due to her lost arm and the way she has formed her character to adjust. Dan's lost leg symbolizes the courage he is missing. In the end, Dan finds the courage he needs to financially support his family by physically fighting through obstacles to get Ben Wade to the train.

In both films phallic objects are both deadly and powerful, for example; guns and snakes. Mattie gets bitten by snake that is a phallic object, and Ben Wade stabs Tucker in his sleep with a fork. It shows that phallic objects are destructive. The person with the phallic object is also the person with the power, and when two or more people are in conflict with phallic objects, the results will be that both parties will suffer loss.

Ben Wade displays his weakness of lust towards women when he stays to bed a bartender, even after being warned by his accomplice Charlie Prince that the sheriff will return soon, this leads to him being arrested and began his transportation to Yuma. This shows that he is not totally invincible and that he has a weakness.

In True Grit, LaBoeuf seemed to be sexually attracted to Mattie even though she is of a young age. The Texas Ranger confessess that he could have stolen a kiss from her, due to him losing his cool due to Mattie not complying to his Demands.

In both films you can see the temptation of the opposite sex through the male characters, although in 3:10 to Yuma, the bartender is sexualised and can be seen as being objectified and in True Grit Mattie is not which also shows how she differs due to her being more masculine, as she also wears trousers carries a revolver which is a phallic object.

3:10 to Yuma shows Ben's weakness, which he couldn't control and led him to being captured; this shows how his weakness makes him stubborn. Whilst in True Grit La Boeuf was able to control himself from stealing a kiss, which can conclude that he has control of his urges or that Mattie being a young teenager put him off.

Overall, it can be concluded that to be able to survive in the west, a person must take on a masculine role. This can be seen throughout the film, for example; in the whole film, men are more dominant than women, and Mattie displays masculinity when she takes control of the situation when discussing who owes what with the stable master, and when she gets bitten due to her panicking which is a feminine trait, she gets rescued by Rooster and La Boeuf who take control of the situation and physically save her on more than one occasion. Being masculine in the west can also mean that when two people who are masculine make contact they will often not get along and fight each other until one or both parties end up dead, as this can  be seen in both films.