The American West has been a place that people envisioned as somewhere personal destiny could be fulfilled and diligence rewarded. Visions of freedom, wide-open spaces, uncompromised opportunity, and success became the mythic representation of the American West to many people outside of the region. In reality, however, the west's society and economy rarely fit the legendary depiction. Janet Campbell Hale and Kim Barnes were two westerners whose journeys by life exemplified the struggles, instability, and turbulence of the real west. Barnes and Hale explored their own experiences in t...

• Word Count: 2962
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: High School