Erica Moctezuma
Dr. Childs
English 1301
December 8, 2012
No
Country for Old Men “Stereotyped Men”
No Country for Old Men… When thinking of this title, of the movie for No Country for Old Men, I expected to watch a movie about a “Country that was not a Country for
Old Men.” The movie demonstrated it had a hidden meaning
to it. When reading a couple of comments and reviews of this movie, I was able
to understand the movie and see others persons point of view about it. Also, being
able to see the similarities of the three male main characters Chigurh,
Llewelyn Moss, and Sheriff Ed Tom Bell had in common. Each of the male
characters, in my opinion where described as stereotype male characters, of No
Country for Old Men. These characters were stereotyped in how men should
be, dress, and talk. Anton Chigurh, as we saw was obviously crazy, Llewelyn
Moss, was western from head to toe and Ed Tom Bell, as the sheriff of his town.
Comparing and relating No Country for Old Men to Saving Private
Perez or Salvando el Soldado Perez both movies had define “stereotyping” men. Which
were also described as stereotype male characters in the movie, as how men
should be, dress, and talk. Can a man be a man without having to be defined in
how men should be, how men should dress and how men should talk stereotyping the
male character, or do male characters have to be defined stereotyping the way
male characters should be?
Ed Tom Bell, the sheriff of his town started narrating
the movie with a little history of his family. Having a background of male sheriff’s in his
family, “My grandfather was a lawman; father too. Me and him was sheriffs at
the same time.” Bell, took pride in being a sheriff at the age of 24 and being
a sheriff with his Dad both at the same time. “Bell felt pride in being part of
a family of lawmen.” (163) Starting from his grandfather, then his father, and
following their footsteps when becoming a sheriff himself too. “Sheriff Bell is
a law man as much as a cowboy.” (9-10) Ed Tom Bell was a Cowboy/Sheriff but at
the same time, he was also “Ed” a husband to Loretta and not only a cowboy or
sheriff. The character of Sheriff Bell
mostly described how western sheriff is stereotyped as. How that is, all a sheriff
is just a sheriff. But we also saw a side, aside from being just a sheriff. He
was also a husband aside from being just a sheriff. Even though the movie
wanted this character to be as they were describe, I took it as the character
of a sheriff should be according to No Country for Old Men.
Llewelyn
Moss, the cowboy from head to toe/good guy Vietnam veteran thief as said in the
movie, “Is nominally the “good guy”, a Vietnam veteran who finds the money in
the desert and tries to evade his recovery.” (98) When the movie introduces
Moss, it showed his cowboy character side starting from his clothes to his
accent. We also saw his good guy Vietnam veteran side when “Llewelyn
recovers-no questions asked” when attempting to cross the United States Border.
“His only proof of citizenship-the only one he needs-is the army regiment in
which he served while in Vietnam.” (98) Even
though he didn’t have his cowboy gear on at the moment, the only thing
necessary was for him to be a Vietnam veteran. While crossing the Border after
being hospitalized he crosses with just his hospital gown, “Come to be out here
with no clothes,” says the border guard to him. (98) But, Moss did have clothes on he had on a
hospital gown. “He’s just not wearing the utilitarian shirt and jeans that
would mark him as a proper Texas man. He wears what are effectively a dress,
and an insubstantial one at that.”(128) this,
was the time that, being a former cowboy would have been better than wearing a
hospital gown. “Lotta people come in here without any clothes on?” says
Llewelyn to the sales person when buying from the store which the border guard
sent him too. Llewelyn was Llewelyn even without any former gears. Even though
the movie wanted this character to be as they were describe, I took it as the
character of Llewelyn Moss, the cowboy
from head to toe/good guy Vietnam veteran thief should be according to No
Country for Old Men.
Anton
Chigurh is an obsessive compulsive crazy man, “with pale skin and the world’s
worst haircut.” (Travers) When the movie first introduces Chigurh, it showed “A
deadpan sociopath with a funny haircut will feed many a nightmare.” (Scott) His
odd haircut and black/brown clothes and sarcastic tone made him look like an
ill man and inspired fear when watching. “I knowed you was crazy when I saw you
sitting there.”(135) said Carla Jean to
Chigurh. Without knowing much about him just by his appearance he gave every
person chills when interacting with him. He was not a lunatic man, ghostly
like, and any of the other names he was called. Underneath all of the odds that
made him, appeal thrilling he is also known as Anton. Even though the movie
wanted this character to be as they were describe, I took it as the character
of Anton Chigurh, an obsessive
compulsive crazy man should be according to No Country for Old Men.
When
I first saw the movie of No Country for
Old Men I saw a lot of comparison with Saving
Private Perez or Salvando el Soldado Perez. Regarding that in both movies,
the main characters where being stereotyped as the men they should be. Saving Private Perez or Salvando el Soldado
Perez, are three main male characters Julian Perez, Juan Perez, and Carmelo
in a mission in rescuing Juan Perez from Iraq which had been missing. Julian
mothers dying wish was, for him to bring her other son Juan back alive from
Iraq to her. She tells him “Dicen por todos lados, que eres el hombre mas
poderoso de Mexico” “They say in everywhere, that you are the most powerful man
in Mexico.” When hearing his mother’s wish Julian, then promises to his mother
he will bring his brother back to her from Iraq. When arriving to Iraq, the
three men were never able to blend in their secret mission in “coming in and out”
without being noticed when rescuing Juan. Their Mexican/Western gear was seen
in every scene. Julian, was the drug cartel Lord and Juan Perez, was the
American Soldier, Carmelo was the Mexican/Indian childhood friend of Julian and
Juan. Each of the three main characters atmospheres was Mexican/Western
starting from their homes, clothes, accent, foods and music. Saving Private Perez or Salvando el Soldado
Perez, main characters where being stereotyped as the men they should be.
Julian
Perez was the Mexican/Western drug cartel Lord. Like, his mother said,
“Everyone referred to him as the most powerful person.” When Julian Perez was
first introduced in the movie Saving
Private Perez or Salvando el Soldado Perez , it shows his atmosphere
starting from his home which even though it was huge mansion, with a huge
Marijuana pool, huge zoo with an albino Lion everything surrounding his
atmosphere was Mexican/Western. Julian’s Mexican/Western gear was seen
throughout the entire movie in every scene. Julian’s Spanish accent was obvious
but too slang the terms where to broken. Julian’s Mexican hot sauce in his
foods, were eaten even when he was in the middle of the desert in Iraq.
Julian’s Duranguense, and Banda Music was also heard when he was in the middle
of the desert in Iraq. Julian’s Mexican/Western drug cartel Lord was also seen
throughout the entire movie. Even though the movie wanted this character to be
as they were describe, I took it as the character of Julian Perez, was the Mexican/Western drug
cartel Lord should be according to Saving
Private Perez or Salvando el Soldado Perez.
Juan
Perez was the American Soldier. When Juan Perez was first introduced to the
movie, Saving Private Perez or Salvando
el Soldado Perez it showed that the only atmosphere describing him was being
an American soldier. Even, though he was seen in different scenes the scenes
did not define him. The scene when he was little when growing up with his
brother did not define him. When Juan and his mom had crossed over to Los
Angeles and he was taco trailer did not define him. Julian’s Spanish accent was
obvious but too slang the terms where to broken. The only one that defines him
was being an American soldier. Even though the movie wanted this character to
be as they were describe, I took it as the character of Juan Perez was the American Soldier should be
according to Saving Private Perez or
Salvando el Soldado Perez.
Carmelo
was the Mexican/Indian childhood friend of Julian and Juan. When Carmelo was
first introduced in the movie Saving
Private Perez or Salvando el Soldado Perez, his atmosphere was shown as a
Mexican/Indian. Carmelo’s Spanish accent was obvious but too slang the terms
where to broken. Carmelo’s Mexican/Indian was also seen when taking a “jitomate”
or “tomato” from his “jitomate” or “tomato” field and taking good care of it
while in the middle of the desert in Iraq. They even traveled by camel with
their Mexican/Indian gear. “Tapese que nos van a delatar” “Cover yourself up
you are going to get us caught”, says a guy traveling with them which was
wearing a cowboy hat on top of an Iraq gown. Even though the movie wanted this
character to be as they were describe, I took it as the character of Carmelo was the Mexican/Indian childhood friend
of Julian and Juan should be according to Saving
Private Perez or Salvando el Soldado Perez.
The
movies No Country for Old Men and Saving Private Perez or Salvando el Soldado Perez were both
movies that stereotyped men in great detail. In both movies, the main
characters were not only what they were entitled too but also so much more than
that. Each character had a unique personal attribute that made them different
from these labels. Julian, Juan and Carmelo are not only what they were
described they are also themselves outside of what they were stereotyped.
Stereotyping has enhanced a person not to believe in reality. Overall, the
person within yourself will be revealed even with or without a label. Even
though the movie wanted this character to be as they were describe, I took it
as the character of Ed Tom Bell,
Llewelyn Moss, Anton Chigurh should be according to No Country for Old Men
and Julian Perez, Juan Perez, and Carmelo should be according to Saving Private Perez or Salvando el Soldado Perez movies. Which
one should it be for men to be defined as a stereotype or for men not to be
defined as how men should be?
