Erica Moctezuma

Dr. Childs

English 1301

December 8, 2012

No Country for Old Men “Stereotyped Men”

 No Country for Old Men… When thinking of the title, of the movie 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 person’s point of view. I was also 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 is described as stereotype male characters, of No Country for Old Men. These characters were stereotyped in how men should be, dress, and talk as a person. 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. In this movie men were also described as stereotype male characters, as how men should be, dress, and talk. Can a man be a man without having to be defined 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. I also saw a different 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 this 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 which was the 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 back 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 surroundings was Mexican/Western. 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 attribute 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 but that didn’t defined him. Julian’s Spanish accent was also obvious but too slang the terms where to broken. The only one characteristic 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. At the end 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 male character or for men not to be defined at all?