Why Was The Old West The Setting For Westworld
Why was Westworld set in the old west as opposed to some other fantasy setting?
We saw an interesting post on the Westworld subreddit the other day asking about Westworld’s setting. The question was about what the significance of the old west setting of Westworld might be.
The simple answer to this question is of course that Westworld is based on the original Westworld film and the film was set in the old west. That’s too easy though because the modern Westworld creators could have set the show in any number of fantasy locations and simply referenced the old film. It of course also doesn’t explain why the original Westworld film was set in the old west.
The old west is an interesting time in American history because it has come to represent a feeling of America’s ability to conquer anything, but it also has a darker reality. The myth of the old west is all about freedom, freedom from the civilized and ordered world of the east. Westworld as a park also wants to represent freedom to the guests who pay to come to the park.
The old west, at least in myth, has also come to represent America conquering, taming, and civilizing the west. It’s only in modern times that society has come to terms with the darker consequences of what America did in the west, especially regarding the native peoples of America.
I think this might be the key to Westworld’s old west setting. Westworld is a place to escape to be free, to conquer the unknown, including the unknown in yourself. While you’re out conquering and having a ball however another people are being destroyed. A people that the Westworld was really meant to belong to, because this world wasn’t meant for you.
Read more thoughts on Westworld’s setting on the Westworld subreddit.
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What do you think? Why do you think Westworld was set in the old west instead of another fantasy setting? Let us know on Facebook or in the comments below.