Rethinking The English (fanfic)

The Wild West

I grew up on a diet of old films and new. My father was a huge film and television fan, particularly of the cowboy and Indian genre. The Searchers was and is one of my classic go to westerns and watching The English made me reconsider the fascination with this genre.

I can see why Americans - I will qualify this with white Americans, feel the need to recount and recount this adventurous and lawless part of their perceived history. It is a country and a nation, I think that thinks itself as 'young', little realising that they have a long and rich history... one that began with indigenous people, and for some white people this is problematic. 

In England we are not perfect, we have some awful periods and events in history which we still grapple with today. However, we are I feel more at peace with our ancient heritage, the plain fact that many races made us what and who we are today.

Some Americans, and this is only my humble opinion, seem to think they are the original super nation, the best in the world. I feel this is naive, because the best is rarely something we can attribute to any one country or race.

Maybe I'm being harsh, but as I've previously discussed, I cannot fathom how current day natives reconcile their past. They were treated in a hateful manner and some still suffer to this day.

If we then, for the purpose of a debate talk about films rather than the history it retells. I can also see why people from other countries enjoy westerns too. They show the rebirth of a massive nation, the bare roots of social expansion and growth, that most older lands and nations went through hundreds if not thousands of years ago, without witness.

For me an English girl at the time, it was all about the story, the setting, the characters, and  the action of course. But more than this, the human element of tension between races, between sexes. The gritty struggle for survival against all the odds and the elements.

Spaghetti westerns we're not for me, too knowing and consciously cruel. I've watched more modern day westerns over recent years, most of which are a little too self aware and worthy, if you know what I mean.

Last of the Mohicans was good, the book too although this may be an unpopular opinion. As a white person when I watch I find myself wondering how comfortable native Americans feel to see their culture, their near total destruction and disenfranchisement on the screen.

Checking my white privilege is something I find myself doing again and again. Even in writing this. Is it alright to want to see an inter racial romance blossom between a white woman and a Pawnee? Is it okay to call a drama about America The English? Writers, directors, creators have the right to make content to entertain, inform, persuade, instruct, and move the audience. I wouldn't want to over edit this, make it sterile and benign. But, as I said from the very start, I just can't stomach tragedy on this scale in terms of fiction. On some level for me there needs to be the hope of a happy ending for characters deserving of of it. Eli and Cornelia are two such characters who I believe need this the most.