Dances With Wolves: A Western That Redefines the Genre
This paper examines Kevin Costner's 1990 film Dances With Wolves as a Western that both follows and subverts the conventions of its genre. The analysis traces the plot — following Union Army lieutenant John J. Dunbar's journey to the western frontier and his integration into a Sioux tribe — while evaluating how Costner departs from Hollywood's traditionally negative portrayal of Native Americans. The paper considers the film's use of the Lakota language, its critique of Manifest Destiny, and its romantic subplot involving Stands With a Fist, ultimately assessing both the film's strengths and its remaining limitations in representing Indigenous people on screen.
- The Western Genre and Its Evolution: Western film history and its decline
- Plot Overview: Dunbar on the Frontier: Dunbar's journey and alliance with Sioux
- Dunbar's Relationships Within the Sioux Tribe: Key character bonds and tribal integration
- How Costner Subverts Western Conventions: Lakota language and anti-Manifest Destiny themes
- Remaining Limitations in the Film's Portrayal: Indigenous characters still lack emotional depth
- Conclusion: Legacy of Dances With Wolves: Film's cultural impact and lasting significance
✍️ How to write this paper — guide, tools & examples ▾
What makes this paper effective
- The paper balances plot summary with critical analysis, using specific details — such as the use of the Lakota language and the Stands With a Fist subplot — to support its evaluative claims.
- It takes a nuanced position, praising Costner's innovations while also identifying the film's unresolved shortcomings in Indigenous representation, giving the argument intellectual honesty.
- The paper situates the film within a broader historical and genre context, grounding cinematic observations in the realities of post–Civil War westward expansion and the Manifest Destiny ideology.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates comparative genre analysis: it establishes the conventions of classical Hollywood Westerns and then systematically measures how Dances With Wolves conforms to, departs from, or incompletely revises those conventions. This technique allows the writer to make evaluative claims that are grounded in recognizable standards rather than purely subjective opinion.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens by framing the Western genre's rise and decline, then summarizes the film's plot before shifting to critical evaluation. The middle sections address Costner's deliberate departures from Hollywood stereotypes (language, cultural portrayal, Manifest Destiny critique) and are followed by a counterargument section that identifies the film's remaining flaws. A brief conclusion reinforces the film's overall significance without overstating its achievements.
The Western Genre and Its Evolution
From the early ages of film, directors were keen on providing their viewers with movies that could entertain, thrill, fascinate, and transport them into a different world. Several genres of film have entered and left the spotlight as public favorites, and some managed to sustain audience interest over time. Westerns are known to have been a hit until the late twentieth century; however, as time passed, audiences began to lose interest and the genre became outmoded. Some producers have not abandoned the Western, and the genre has enjoyed successful comebacks in recent years. Kevin Costner's Dances With Wolves is a film that follows most of the conventions the genre demands, while also challenging several of them.
Most Westerns set their action in the second half of the nineteenth century, following the American Civil War. The American West during that period was filled with all manner of people — from thieves and gold-seeking miners to sheriffs and bankers. Weapons were a common sight, as nearly everyone needed them for self-protection. Most Native Americans who had originally lived in the east had been pushed westward, and as a result, clashes frequently broke out between new settlers and Native tribes.
Works Cited
Dances with Wolves. Dir. Kevin Costner. Orion Pictures, 1990.
Create your account
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.