One of the questions that we want to focus on with Billy the Kid, and that we have focused on with other Legendary Americans, is the societal needs that Billy fit.
As I’ve did some research on Billy, I’ve noticed that there’s not many facts that are known about Billy and that all sources agree on. Last weekend, I found two articles that talk about how Billy’s image has been changed throughout the years in order to fit the needs of the people of those times. After reading those articles, I kind of did a little review of the materials that I had already found to see how Billy was portrayed during those times and why he was portrayed that way and what need did he need to fill for the society of the time. One of the biggest things that stick out the most in my mind is the difference of Billy, the character, in Billy the Kid and
The Left Handed Gun. I remember in one article that I read, it talked about how Billy was seen in the time that he was living. He seemed to be more well liked by the people who were around him, who weren’t outlaws. Some of the people felt that he was a scapegoat of The Lincoln County Wars and that was the reason he had to die. And it seemed as if the people didn’t side for the outlaws or for the law, because neither one of them were really the “good” people. This made a lot of since about why Billy was portrayed the way he was in Billy the Kid. In this movie, he seemed to be more of a good guy and more responsible. Even in the end Pat Garrett, who was part of the law and suppose to be against Billy, let him go instead of trying to shoot him.
By the time The Left Handed Gun came along, Billy wasn’t still seen in this innocent way and it really shows. He seems to be more reckless and childish and unstable. They show him as more of an outlaw whenever he decides that he is going to seek revenge. He is loved by the people of Mexico, but the people of New Mexico aren’t very big fans of him. There’s still a little pity for him because it shows that he only killed 4 people. And when he is shot by Pat Garrett while Billy is unarmed so he doesn’t seem too bad.
Today, Billy is seen as more of a murderer than an outlaw or a “good” guy. Today he is known as killing over 2o men and being more of a nuisance to his society and there’s not much pity felt about him dying or how he died.