When you think of Westerns, you think of hostile, sparsely populated regions where cowboys and outlaws roam on horseback. It spawned many iconic works such as Sergio Leone’s Dollars trilogy, the Red Dead video game series, the Trigun manga, and The Curse of Capistrano, which started the legend of Zorro.
And though it’s not as popular as it once was, people keep coming back to it because of certain tropes. From high-noon duels to the slow encroachment of industrialism, you’ll find many iconic storytelling elements within this genre.
Top Western Tropes
Here are just a few tropes that are staples of the Western genre, found in movies, tv shows, and literature.
1. The Railroad
It’s hard not to find a western story that dedicates some scenes to the railroad. From hijackings to bombing targets, it gets involved in many different situations.
More than being a means of transportation, it’s also a symbol of a dying era. As land and people become more connected by railroads, the Old West—symbolized by lawlessness and the frontier—is replaced with civilization and modernity.
2. Bar fights, Duels, and Shootouts
A Western’s action usually plays out in two ways. A stranger comes to town, orders a whiskey in the local saloon, and is quickly involved in an all-out brawl. Or he insults someone and is challenged to a quickdraw duel, which he easily, and sometimes lazily, wins.
Other times it’s your good old shootout. There’s a chaotic mix of gunfire, smoke, blood, and fear that’s often exacerbated by situations such as horseback riding, train hijackings, and hostage situations.
3. The Lone Wolf
Western protagonists are often gruff, emotionally distant, and shun most forms of camaraderie. They work alone, live alone, and generally keep to themselves. But when things need to be done, you bet they’ll get it done.
Most of these characters are loners for a reason. They’re either hiding a big secret, hurting from a past event, or having trouble expressing themselves. All they trust are their wits and guns…at least, until some damsel draws out their more tender sides.
4. Bounty Hunting
Outlaws are the biggest menace in the frontier. They steal, rape, and cause all types of trouble for folks just trying to establish a living in a harsh land.
So the government begins issuing bounties and some enterprising cowboys begin hunting bandits down for money and fame. These bounty hunters are often ruthless gunslingers who stop at nothing to catch their targets, dead or alive. They make for compelling anti-heroes whose morality is constantly tested by hard living.
5. Native Americans
The struggle between cowboys and Native Americans is a popular topic in Western stories. Unfortunately, Native Americans tend to be portrayed offensively due to ignorance and hate.
Two common, problematic stereotypes that westerns use are barbarians and noble savages. In the former, natives raid supply wagons, burn down lone farmsteads, and slay innocent people.
In the latter, these people are deeply connected to the earth, teaching white characters valuable lessons, which they eventually use to save the natives.
Not all Westerns do this, of course. Some stories portray Native Americans accurately, if not, at least fairly.
6. Frontier Justice
Because lawlessness is rampant in the frontier, people living there have a rougher sort of justice—one that is usually guided by personal morals and beliefs.
So you’ll often find public hangings, beheadings, and shootings in these stories. The method doesn’t matter much, as long as it is done in the pursuit of justice.
Of course, this is where most Westerns insert their discussions of morality and humanity. What justifies killing another person and where do you draw the line?
7. Trusty Steeds
What is a cowboy without his trusty steed? The bond between a person and their horse is often as compelling as that of frontier romance.
In most stories, the hero’s horse is unusually fast and intelligent, able to keep up with trains and understand their partners to a high degree. You’ll find them traversing difficult terrain with ease, kicking down foes, and always being there for a quick getaway.
8. The Sheriff
In a place where lawlessness is rampant, one person rises to enforce the law. Tough, no-nonsense, and absolutely terrifying with a gun, this character is someone that most outlaws are afraid to cross.
However, this character is also portrayed as corrupt, cowardly, or both. They’re either in cahoots with the villains or are too terrified of them to make any meaningful change.
9. Tumbleweeds
Imagine this. Two men face each other in an empty street as townsfolk peek from windows and doors. They flex their arms over their revolvers, waiting for a signal to fire. And then a tumbleweed comes rolling by…bang!
If you’re not sure what a tumbleweed is, it’s that dried-up ball of plants that are always rolling around when showing landscapes in Western movies, emphasizing the emptiness of the land.
It doesn’t add much to the story but has been used so many times that it’s become part of the Western genre’s imagery.
10. Woman with a Past
A trauma-hardened widow who’ll do anything to protect the farm and kids. A runaway daughter who’d rather be an outlaw than marry someone she dislikes. A prostitute who has had enough of violent men.
The harsh life on the frontier creates hard women who can go toe-to-toe with any cowboy. This hardness is often what ostracizes them from other townsfolk but makes them attractive to loners.
11, Cattle Drive
Part of a cowboy’s usual duties is to move the herd from place to place without losing any cattle. It sounds simple but is often a dangerous and rigorous task that’s further complicated by cattle rustlers intent on stealing their livestock.
It becomes an adventure just to get them to where they want them to be. With food so important in the isolated frontier, every cattle counts.
The Wild West
People love westerns for a variety of reasons, but it’s largely because of the timeless appeal of its stories. The Wild West, where the genre takes place, is a bygone historical era that has since obtained a mythical quality.
Not only is the setting picturesque, but it also easily conveys the spirit of adventure, exploration, and human endurance. Breathtaking but brutal landscapes lend well to the screen, captivating the audience with their vast open spaces and towering mountains.
This sense of adventure carries over to almost every element of the western genre, especially its characters. Larger-than-life protagonists duel with villains, tame the wilderness and enforce the law in a lawless land.
The frontier, being rugged and hostile, promotes a rougher kind of life which, in turn, opens up questions about society and culture. How does civilized progress affect the natural world? Where do you draw the line between justice and murder?
To sum it up, westerns provide their audience with the perfect mix of adventure and morality, set against a historical backdrop that easily showcases the two.
Which Western tropes do you love? Share them in the comments below!
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Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
