Kimmer's clothes. They sell movies based on just a synopsis or plot outline and demand $300,000 upfront for a simple first draft. As Kimmer succinctly puts it through Lee, "in this business we make movies, American movies. Leave the films to the French."

In the 1980 Presidential election, America's acceptance of Hollywood values, superficial or not, was evident with the election of Ronald Reagan as the fortieth president. Before his political career, the sixty-nine-year-old conservative, who also served two terms as Governor of California, enjoyed a long and successful career as a Hollywood actor. During the 1980 Presidential campaign, Reagan made a significant impact with polished television commercials that capitalized on his cinematic image. Public opinion polls indicated that his strong performance in the televised presidential debate against Jimmy Carter in October likely earned him additional votes. In November, Reagan secured a landslide victory, obtaining fifty-one percent of the popular vote (43 million) compared to Carter's forty-one percent (35 million). The electoral vote was even more one-sided, with Reagan winning 489 to 49, as Carter carried only six states and the District of Columbia.

Numerous political analysts proposed that Reagan's sweeping victory was largely due to the increasing influence of television charisma on American politics. Faced with a campaign where a television presence was arguably the most crucial political asset, Reagan's two-decade career in over fifty Hollywood films allowed him to masterfully leverage the medium. Others speculated that Reagan's triumph was deeply rooted in his (or his publicists') skill in transferring his "good guy" screen persona—often depicted as a noble cowboy—into the realm of global politics. Just as the heroic Hollywood cowboys resolved complex issues with straightforward, courageous actions, Reagan's political approach emphasized a return to fundamental decency and virtuous values. While these traits were highly effective in movies, the real world frequently presented scenarios where distinguishing between right and wrong was challenging and required intricate solutions. Despite this, following an economic downturn and the challenges of the Iran hostage crisis, the strong, frontiersman image Reagan projected was overwhelmingly compelling to American voters for eight years.

The American public's yearning for the straightforwardness of bygone times, such as those depicted in the old West, found satisfaction in a president like Ronald Reagan. In Shepard's play, Austin similarly expresses a longing to return to a simpler way of life, though his reasons differ. Considering the societal mood during the period when True West was written and staged, it is likely that Shepard encountered many individuals who, for various reasons, wished to return to the authentic West.

Sam Shepard's "True West" skillfully weaves together the realistic and the grotesque to craft a narrative that transcends conventional storytelling. The play journeys from a grounded depiction of two brothers competing for dominance to a surreal and mythic confrontation. By combining these stylistic elements, Shepard draws upon both realism and the grotesque to explore deeper themes of identity and transformation.

Embracing Realism

The story of True West roots itself initially in the tradition of realism, a literary style that emerged in the 19th century as a pushback against the melodramas prevalent at the time. For Shepard, the early portrayal of the two brothers, Austin and Lee, is marked by lifelike dialogue and detailed stage directions, echoing the movement towards believable narratives which gained traction as a response to romantic exaggerations. Realism's strength lies in its ability to present an audience with familiar settings and relatable characters, but it also risks infusing the narrative with a sense of monotony.

Shepard navigates these potential pitfalls by establishing a meticulous set design and realistic costumes. His attention to detail includes specifying colors, fabrics, and even the inclusion of "Boston ferns hanging in planters at different levels." While some details, such as the "floor of the alcove is composed of green synthetic grass," might carry symbolic weight, most serve to create a neutral backdrop against which the characters' evolution can unfold without distraction. Shepard emphasizes this in his prefatory note on set and costume, requesting a realistic construction to ensure that the characters' situation remains the play's primary focus.

Dialogue in these initial scenes reflects everyday speech patterns, with casual conversations and elliptical phrases like "you keepin' the plants watered?" followed by monosyllabic responses such as "yeah." Shepard's use of orthographic spellings captures the informal essence of the dialogue, contributing to the play’s realistic foundation. This approach allows Shepard to gradually introduce non-realistic elements, maintaining his interest in mythic qualities while keeping them subtle and intertwined with the play’s realistic framework.

The Grotesque Transformation

As True West progresses, a gradual shift occurs, leading the audience into the realm of the grotesque—a space where reality stretches to the point of surrealism. By the play's conclusion, Austin and Lee, who began as plausible, relatable figures, morph into mythic entities engaged in a primal struggle. Shepard introduces the grotesque almost imperceptibly, infusing the narrative with elements that challenge the boundaries of reality.

The earliest indication of this shift comes with Lee's nonchalant declaration of his intent to burglarize the neighborhood. His scruffy appearance and peculiar statements, such as "I don't sleep," convey a supernatural quality, setting the stage for further distortion of reality. This is amplified through escalating acts of violence, from Lee's menacing threat with a golf club to the chaotic destruction he wreaks upon the household.

Austin's descent into the grotesque is marked by a dramatic transformation when he appears intoxicated and unrecognizable. His bizarre story about his father's false teeth adds an element of surrealism, contributing to the play's eerie atmosphere. Concurrently, the natural sounds that once defined the play's western setting begin to transcend their realistic origins. Coyote howls, initially a part of the environmental noise, crescendo into an almost oppressive force, mirroring the internal chaos both brothers experience as their reality warps around them.

A Mythic Battleground

The culmination of these grotesque elements transforms the domestic space into a mythic battlefield. Visually, this is illustrated by the catastrophic disarray in their mother's home, which devolves into a "sea of junk" under an "intense yellow light," reminiscent of "a desert junkyard at high noon." Shepard's stage directions underscore this transformation, noting that "the coolness of the preceding scenes is totally obliterated," ultimately abandoning the semblance of a typical home.

In a particularly unrealistic twist, houseplants that should withstand a brief lapse in watering are depicted as dead, and the brothers’ mother, baffled by the state of her home, opts to stay in a motel instead. By the play’s end, "the figures of the brothers now appear to be caught in a vast desert-like landscape," no longer mere siblings in a familial spat but elemental forces in a mythic confrontation. Shepard’s blending of realism and the grotesque not only elevates the narrative to a mythic plane but also prompts the audience to reflect on the deeper struggles underlying the brothers' rivalry, offering a richly layered theatrical experience.

1980: The album Double Fantasy, by former Beatles member John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono, is released. Tragically, on December 8, Lennon is fatally shot by a deranged fan outside his New York City apartment building. His death sparks increased support for handgun control laws, but president-elect Ronald Reagan opposes such legislation. At this time, handguns in the U.S. kill an average of twenty-nine people daily, with an estimated fifty-five million handguns in circulation.

Today: Partly due to the 1981 assassination attempt on President Reagan, where his Press Secretary James Brady was shot and severely paralyzed, the "Brady Bill" now mandates a five-day waiting period before a handgun sale can be finalized. Gun violence remains a disturbing aspect of American culture. In Scene 4 of True West, Lee states, "you go down to the L.A Police Department there and ask them what kinda' people kill each other the most.... Family people. Brothers. Brothers-in-law. Cousins. Real American-type people." Lee's comment underscores the fact that much handgun violence involves family members, often children mishandling their parents' firearms.

1980: Ted Turner's Cable News Network (CNN) launches on June 1, amidst widespread skepticism about the viability of a 24-hour news channel.

Today: CNN, alongside ESPN and numerous other expanding cable networks, has become an international institution. CNN broadcasts news globally, reaching nearly every television set worldwide. In the United States, the cable revolution has nearly overshadowed the dominance of the big three networks—ABC, CBS, and NBC—that once monopolized the airwaves.

1980: On July 2, the U.S. Supreme Court decides in Richmond Newspapers v. Virginia that the press has the right to attend criminal trials.

Today: The O.J. Simpson murder trial, the most publicized and scrutinized trial in history, has led many to question whether turning criminal cases into media spectacles truly serves the interests of justice.

The Steppenwolf production of True West at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York City, featuring John Malkovich as Lee and Gary Sinise as Austin, was recorded for the Public Broadcasting System's American Playhouse series. It was later released as a feature film in 1987. This 110-minute film is available for rental at select video stores or can be purchased from Academy Home Entertainment in Shelburne, Vermont, or through Critics' Choice Video. Additionally, it is offered in laser disc format from LaserVision.

In December 1988, an amateur production of the play was directed by Charles Doolittle at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Illinois. This performance was taped on videocassette, and the college also preserved a collection of twenty-two slides showcasing selected scenes from the play.

Sources

Beaufort, John. Review of True West in Christian Science Monitor, December 31, 1980.

Chubb, Kenneth. Interview with Sam Shepard in Theatre Quarterly, Vol. IV, no. 15, August-October, 1974, pp. 3-16.

Coe, Robert. Interview with Sam Shepard in the New York Times Magazine, November 23, 1980.

Gussow, Mel. "Brothers and Rivals" in the New York Times, October 17, 1982.

Kalem, T. E. "City Coyotes Prowling the Brain" in Time, January 5, 1981.

Kerr, Walter. "Of Shepard's Myths and Ibsen's Man" in the New York Times, Vol. 50, no. 3, January 11, 1981.

Kroll, Jack. "California Dreaming" in Newsweek, January 5, 1981.

Rich, Frank. "Shepard's True West" in the New York Times, December 24, 1980.

Watt, Douglas. "True West Moves Shepard in the Right Direction" in the Daily News, December 24, 1980.

Further Reading

Grant, Gary. "Shifting the Paradigm: Shepard, Myth, and the Transformation of Consciousness" in Modern Drama, Vol. 36, no. 1, March 1993, pp. 120-30. In this insightful essay, Grant argues that Shepard's unique dramatic style offers "a new way of seeing," akin to the experience of listening to jazz or rock and roll music.

Hart, Lynda. Sam Shepard's Metaphorical Stages, Greenwood Press, 1987. Hart's book includes a valuable section on True West, an engaging descriptive essay on Shepard's film career, and an excellent biographical sketch of the playwright's life.

Hoeper, Jeffrey D. "Cain, Canaanites, and Philistines in Sam Shepard's True West" in Modern Drama, Vol. 36, no. 1, March 1993, pp. 76-82. Hoeper explores True West as a biblical allegory, comparing Austin and Lee to Cain and Abel, the adversarial sons of Adam and Eve.

Holstein, Suzy Clarkson. "'All Growed Up' in the True West, or Huck and Tom Meet Sam Shepard" in Western American Literature, Vol. 29, no. 1, Spring 1994, pp. 41-50. Holstein draws parallels between Mark Twain's characters Huck Finn and Lee, and Tom Sawyer and Austin, suggesting that Shepard's brothers could be seen as adult versions of these youthful literary figures.

Kleb, William. "Sam Shepard" in American Playwrights since 1945, edited by Philip C. Kolin, Greenwood Press, 1989. Kleb's extensive essay in this valuable reference guide to American theatre offers an assessment of Shepard's reputation and a detailed summary of the production histories of Shepard's plays, including the controversial history of True West. The essay also features several useful bibliographies.

Kleb, William. "Theatre in San Francisco - Sam Shepard's True West" in Theatre, Vol. 12, no. 1, Fall-Winter 1980, pp. 65-71. This review of the original production in San Francisco concludes that True West might be Shepard's self-dramatization of his divided identity, making it his most personal and subjective play.

Orbison, Tucker. "Mythic Levels in Shepard's True West" in Modern Drama, Vol. 27, no. 4, December 1984, pp. 506-19. Orbison provides a thorough examination of what critics and scholars mean when they say that Shepard writes "mythic" drama.

Rosen, Carol. '"Emotional Territory': An Interview with Sam Shepard" in Modern Drama, Vol. 36, no. 1, March 1993, pp. 1-11. In his first comprehensive interview in ten years, Shepard explores his themes, his creative process, and various other intriguing subjects.

Schvey, Henry I. "A Worm in the Wood: The Father-Son Relationship in the Plays of Sam Shepard" in Modern Drama, Vol. 36, no. 1, March 1993, pp. 12-26. The fathers in Shepard's plays, including the one in True West, are inspired by Shepard's own relationship with his father. The father's influence remains with the son "like a worm in the wood."

Shewey, Don. "The True Story of 'True West'" in the Village Voice, November 30, 1982, p. 115. A review of the 1982 Cherry Lane Theatre production by Gary Sinise's Steppenwolf company. Besides reviewing the performance, this article also delves into the controversy that surrounded the original production two years earlier at Joseph Papp's Public Theatre.