Page 65 - A Handbook Genre Studies in Mass Media

CHAPTER 3

Table 3.3
Stock Characters
Genre Stock characters Examples/characteristics
Westerns Heroes The Historical Hero (Wyatt Earp, Bat
Masterson, Jim Bowie)
The Wanderer (Cheyanne, Restless
Gun, Have Gun Will Travel)

The Anti-hero: Clint Eastwood (The
Man with No Name), from Fist Full of
Dollars (1964); Butch Cassidy and the
Sundance Kid
Villains Indians
Gambler/Saloon keeper
Capitalist—owns the town
Gunslinger
Sidekick Old galoot
Partner
Women Virgin
Whore (saloon girl)
Tough pioneer
School marm
Local TV Anchorperson Formal dress; conservative; standard
journalists dialect
Males: Exude authority, certainty, and
wisdom
Females: Young, attractive
Weatherperson Likeable
Soap Heroine Attractive; virtuous; young; clueless
operas about motives/strategies of Villain
Villains, women Attractive; young; rivals and antagonists
(The Bitch Goddess) of Heroine
Hero Male love interest; handsome; young; a
professional man (e.g., a doctor)
Benevolent characters Solid family types
Villainous parents and
grandparents
Professional men and women
Children (toddlers to
teenagers)
Con men
Game Emcee Amiable; attractive; masculine; listening
shows skills; in control
Contestants Usually average people; sometimes
celebrities; likeable
Hostess Attractive, glamorous
Audience Predominantly female; enthusiastic

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