In his book, The Life and Adventures of Joaquín Murieta, author John Rollin Ridge introduces readers to a fictional character, who is an extraordinary bandit. As the story goes, Murieta embarked on a path of revenge and organized a large band of outlaws to terrorize Californians. Murieta and his men committed terrible and bloody crimes (including robbery and murder). This pattern of criminal behavior continued until the gang was chased by the mountain guards, ending the story with a dramatic climax for the protagonist. However, this story is not an accurate representation of important elements of the “New” West according to author Patricia Nelson Limerick, in The Legacy of Conquest: The Unbroken Past of the American West. Instead, the character Murieta exemplifies many of the myths of the American West and the idea of ​​innocence. In his book, Limerick describes “the idea of ​​innocence” that permeated the American West (36). According to the author, the underlying motive of every action was pure (even when in reality it wasn't). According to Western American folklore, the early settlers intended to victimize the Indians and trespass on their land, but instead came to America to pursue new opportunities and improve their lives (Limerick 36). The same ideological theory can be applied to the motivations of the sensationalist outlaws of the time. For example, in his book Limerick he details the life of John Wesley Hardin, an outlaw, who began his violent life of crime at the age of fifteen (36). As the story goes, Hardin shot and killed a black man (Limerick 36). However, idolized as a preacher's son, Hardin hid his crimes behind the veils of “courage” and “honor” (Limerick 36). He claimed that he actually shot the man --...... middle of paper ......ior (Ridge 9-10). It is for this reason, and not simply “inexplicably,” that they attacked Murieta in the first place. Joaquín Murieta's character has been described as a Western Robin Hood. Even after a series of bloody crimes, he was glorified by the perpetrator, just like other traditional Western outlaws. However, while Murieta's crimes would surely "[leave] his name imprinted in the ancient history of this State," he was not extraordinary in either the mind or the heart (Ridge 158). Instead, Murieta is another classic example of the myth of Limerick innocence often found in period literature. Works Cited Limerick, Patricia Nelson. The Legacy of Conquest: The Continuing Past of the American West. New York: Norton, 1987. Ridge, John Rollin. The life and adventures of Joaquín Murieta, the famous Californian bandit. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1955.