Guide to spelling, punctuation and grammar

Opening paragraph
There is no doubt that the western as a film genre is
central to the way America sees itself and how
Americans think of themselves. The settlement of the
American West during the second half of the
nineteenth century was a defining period in
American history, around which many myths were
created that have continued to shape American
thinking right up to the present day. What it is to be
an American citizen and the values embodied in
that ideal have been shaped by the legends of the
old west. The image of the intrepid pioneer heading
off down the Oregon Trail to discover and tame the
uncharted territory of the ‘wild west’ is deeply
embedded in the American consciousness, however
transformed American society has become in the
century or so since the major migrations westwards
took place. Western films represent some of these
myths dearest to the heart of many American
citizens. 
Paragraph 2
Westerns, then, deal with the legends associated with
the settlement of the western territories, but not
necessarily , and not usually, with accurate
historical facts. Myths are born not out of historical
accuracy, but emerge from values and beliefs that
grow round historical events. Yes, pioneers in their
thousands poured westwards in search of land, gold
or merely a fresh start in the vast open spaces of the
western plains, but the struggles they endured
during these long treks are generally portrayed in
western films as consisting of battling hostile Native
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Americans or ‘bad guys’ determined to rule the roost.
The struggles these pioneers had were more to do
with battling the elements, disease and hunger
rather than fighting off ‘savages’ or lawless
gunfighters. Yet movies such as ‘The Searchers’ and
‘How the West Was Won’ emphasise the conflict with
‘Indians’ because that is perceived as being more
dramatic and appropriate for action movies, which
western films are basically. This leads to a
simplification of the issues involved in the settling of
the west and the interaction with Native American
tribes. At the heart of most western movies is the
romanticised portrayal of the heroism of the pioneers
who faced all these dangers to tame the new frontier.