Rooster Cogburn Ashley

Rooster Cogburn, made in 1975, shows a change in American culture concerning the perception of others. Rooster Cogburn, the masculine cowboy, is a drunkard and a retired Marshall. The court is more powerful than he is and he is being reprimanded for taking justice into his own hands too often. On his conquest, he encounters Eula, the religious woman, and Wolf, the Native American boy. These two ‘others’ carry more significance in this film then their equivalents would have in the past. Eula is not obedient to Cogburn’s commands and has an opinion for everything. In addition, she is fearless when it comes to shooting the renegade band that killed her father. She seems more skilled and more intelligent than Cogburn. In respects to the Native American, Wolf, Cogburn says that one day he could potentially be Marshall. Since society at the time has pushed for civil right, the approval from Cogburn that an Indian can be Marshall shows acceptance of different races. It follows the classic view of women in the respects of religion. Eula is devout to God and has almost the entire bible memorized. Yet, Eula is strong and opinionated. She does not let Cogburn boss her around. These actions are contrary to the perception of women in the past.