The Western influence on the world

Since the 1850s, the American West has served as a place for adventure, influence and entertainment.

First emerging as a popular genre of novels, the Western theme has now become synonymous with several parts of American history.

The Virginian by Owen Wister has been credited as the first widely known Western novel in 1902. The novel, set in Wyoming Territory in the late 1800s, depicts the life of a cattle ranch cowboy. The novel incorporates much of what would become popular within the genre, such as gambling, guns and vulgarity. The main character’s adventure, however, tells of a valuable viewpoint in discovering the different ways of life people experience across the country.

This theme of finding oneself, or learning from lived experiences, can be seen throughout the genre’s history from the 1800s to present day.

The popularization of cinema sent the Western genre to new heights. Silent films like “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show” served as some of the genre’s first standout productions.

The Western music genre has been recognized as an American invention, as well. Simple harmonies and string instruments pull together influence from genres like blues, folk, and gospel to produce the unique sound. Oklahoma City is home to one of the nation’s most notable museums regarding the music genre, the American Banjo Museum. The Banjo Museum archives the history of the American West’s music through exhibitions and more.

Then and now, the genre portrays the West as a hostile habitat, where gunslinging and gambling rule just as much as laws might. Many of the movies and novels within the genre portray characters coming to the West in search of a better life, often discovering that through the journey itself, they have manifested that destiny.