Guide to spelling, punctuation and grammar

Opening paragraph
There is no doubt that the western as a film genre is
central to the way America sees itself and how
Americans think of themselves. The settlement of the
American West during the second half of the
nineteenth century was a defining period in
American history, around which many myths were
created that have continued to shape American
thinking right up to the present day. What it is to be
an American citizen and the values embodied in
that ideal have been shaped by the legends of the
old west. The image of the intrepid pioneer heading
off down the Oregon Trail to discover and tame the
uncharted territory of the ‘wild west’ is deeply
embedded in the American consciousness, however
transformed American society has become in the
century or so since the major migrations westwards
took place. Western films represent some of these
myths dearest to the heart of many American
citizens.