Stereotyping

Erica Moctezuma

Dr. Childs

English 1301

December 1, 2012

No Country for Old Men

When I first heard 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. After watching a few minutes of the movie, I then realized it had a hidden meaning to it. As I read a couple of comments about this movie, I was able to understand and see others persons point of view about it. I was also able to realize the similarities of the three main characters Chigurh, Llewelyn Moss, and Sheriff Ed Tom Bell had in common. Each of the main characters where described stereotyping, how men should be, dress, and talk. Chigurh, as we saw was obviously crazy. Llewelyn, was western from head to toe. Sheriff Ed Tom, the protector of his town. These three men where described in my opinion with great details supporting how that type of men should be. I was able to compare and relate it to Saving Private Perez or Salvando el Soldado Perez. Which also describe stereotyping their three main characters, as how men should be just like in No Country for Old Men. A man can be any kind of man not having to be stereotyped, as how they should be, dress, and talk.

 Ed Tom Bell, the town’s sheriff and his country accent started narrating with a history of sheriff’s in his family “My grandfather was a lawman; father too. Me and him was sheriffs at the same time.” Bell, took pride being a sheriff at the age 24 with his Dad at the same time. “Bell felt pride in being part of a family of lawmen.”(163)  Starting from his grandfather, father, and following their footsteps when becoming a sheriff 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. Each scene stereotyped as that all that he was were the title’s that were given to him with his uniform of sheriff or head to toe gear of a cowboy and accent.

Llewelyn Moss, the cowboy/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) “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 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)  “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.

Anton Chigurh, is an obsessive compulsive crazy man, with pale skin and the world’s worst haircut.” (Travers) “A deadpan sociopath with a funny haircut, will feed many a nightmare.” His odd haircut and black/brown clothes and sarcastic tone made him look like an ill man. (Scott) “I knowed you was crazy when I saw you sitting there.”(135) 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 him also was known as Anton.

Saving Private Perez or Salvando el Soldado Perez, are three main characters Julian Perez, Juan Perez, and Carmelo in a mission in rescuing Juan Perez from Iraq which was missing. 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. Julian, was the drug cartel Lord and Juan Perez, was the American Soldier, Carmelo was the Mexican/Indian like friend of Julian and Juan. Each of the three main characters atmospheres was Mexican/Western starting from their homes, clothes, accent, foods and music. Julian mothers dying wish was, for him to bring her other son Juan back alive to her. She tells him “Dicen por todos lados que eres el hombre mas poderoso de Mexico” “They say you are the most powerful person in Mexico.” When arriving to Iraq, the three men were never able to blend in their secret mission in coming in out without being noticed when rescuing Juan. They even traveled by camel with their Mexican/Western gear. “Tapese que nos van a delatar” “Cover yourself up you are going to get us caught”, says a guy traveling with them. Julian, Juan and Carmelo are not only what they were described they are also themselves outside of what they were stereotyped.

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. Stereotyping has enhanced a person not to believe in reality. Overall, the person within yourself will be revealed even with or without a label.