Crafting the Perfect Western: Tips and Techniques for Writers

The western genre typically takes place in the American West between the Civil War and western expansion (around 1801–1890) and features horse riding, military expansion, and interactions with Indigenous American tribes. It explores the conflict between those who embrace change and expansion and those who resist it, while examining themes such as law and order, violence, social life, conflicts in values, and the relationship between civilisation and savagery.

Traditional Elements of Westerns

Westerns often depict four opposing elements: society versus the wilderness, good versus evil, strength versus weakness, and civilisation versus the wild. Although modern-day westerns don’t necessarily need to be set during a specific era or location, they may still examine the protagonist’s struggle to find harmony with their environment and society. Characters can range from law-abiding citizens to those who do not follow the law, and from those with a moral code to those without. Modern-day westerns will use these tropes and the ones outlined below but will tend to update them to contemporary alternatives to avoid outdated and potentially offensive stereotypes.

Evolution of Modern Westerns

Westerns will often feature outlaws, Indigenous Americans, rustlers, and gunmen who pose a threat to the community with their violent tendencies. The antagonist possesses savagery, lacks internal conflicts, and typically priorities money. ‘Civilised’ characters are members of the town community with shared interests and no internal conflicts. The protagonist is unique, possessing both savagery and civilisation. They may be violent, but they align with the community, are hesitant to kill, and are measured in their response when necessary. Often portrayed as an anti-hero, the protagonist struggles to balance their id and superego, torn between personal freedom and the constraints of settled life.

Character Dynamics in Westerns

The civilised characters are typically settlers and townspeople, who prioritise taming the West, establishing law and order, and modernising the environment. They focus on their families, responsibilities, and commitments, and prioritise the needs of the community over individualism and independence. They often view the outsider protagonist with suspicion, mistrust, and fear due to the protagonist’s restless nature, lack of ties to the civilised community, comparative selfishness, experience of the world, and opposing values. The western protagonist embodies the ideals of self-determination and individual justice, upholding fair play and protecting the community from injustice. Despite being an outsider, they prioritise the well-being of the community over their own safety and happiness. While they may resort to violence and operate outside the law to achieve justice, this behaviour can further isolate them from society due to their unique skills, values, and beliefs.

Narrative Trajectories in Western Stories

Despite successfully protecting the community, the protagonist may mourn the loss of freedom brought about by the establishment of towns and railroads. In some cases, they may be incompatible with the locals, including a love interest. The fate of the protagonist in a western varies: they may ultimately turn their back on civilization to maintain their independence and roam free in the wild open plains, or else die for a greater cause or give up their former identity to settle down in the community. The main antagonist in a western can likewise take various forms, such as a corrupt sheriff, a heavy-handed cavalry officer, or someone with a questionable past who has a personal vendetta that evokes empathy from the audience.