In the film, Sheriff Woody in Andy's playtime is seen as the “good guy” and he saves the other toys from the “bad guy” which is Mr Potato Head. This perpetuates the idea that cowboys are saviors and heroes. Frantz and Choate (2016) study the portrayal of the “American folk hero,” and its origin story. Choosing a cowboy to represent Woody’s character is an intentional design choice that Disney and Pixar made, this influenced audiences as cowboys are associated with heroic characteristics and appear familiar to the American public.
Savage (1986) condenses the historical and cultural context of the cowboy in America. He suggests that the cowboy is a popular figure because of the values it represents for the middle-class. The cowboy acts in the interest of the greater good and as a “spokesperson for the people,” (Savage, 1986). Woody embodies these characteristics as the leader of Andy’s toys. What makes Woody act out of character is when he is faced with Buzz, a threat to his status as the guardian of the toys. In this case, Woody lashes out violently. This reflects the cowboy hero values, as “he has the capacity for violence and the wisdom to know when and against whom to exhibit that violence,” (Savage, 1986).
Image Credits:
1. Screenshot, Toy Story Trailer. Copyright Pixar
2. African-American Cowboy in Idaho. Copyright Smithsonian, Corbis.