TOW #16: IRB

In the the second half of the book The Last Outlaws: The Lives and Legends of Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, Thom Hatch, a consultant and commentator for The History Channel as well as PBS, further presents the astounding backstory of two of the most notorious criminals out west during the frontier.  Going into the second half of the accounts of Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, Hatch focuses more on the story of the notorious bandits as opposed to how they came to be the iconic outlaws we know today.  Hutch uses terrific and descriptive imagery in order to entertain his audience as well as to further emphasize the story of the two.  Despite this however, that is not the most interesting factor of the second half of the book The Last Outlaws.  In fact, what sets this account of the two legends apart from others is its appeal to the conspiracy of what may have happened to them after their disappearance.  Because of this appeal to speculation as opposed to fact, Hatch introduces an aspect of mystery into his book.  This allows for the book to feel more like a fictional piece, allowing for audiences to rely on their own opinions as opposed to ethos and logos.  Hatch often blends this speculation with imagery through examples such as “ she eulogized: ‘All his life he was chased.  Now he has a chance to rest in peace, and thats the way it must be.’  She never revealed where the alleged Butch had been buried, if indeed she knew the location” (Hatch 289).  This allows for Hatch to appeal to audiences consisting of Western enthusiasts, those seeking action, as well as conspiracy theorists due to the speculation on the deaths/disappearances of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.  Hatch succeeds in creating an appealing and thrilling book on the topic, resulting in a book that can be enjoyed by all audiences.  As opposed to creating a book of solely facts on the outlaws, Hatch truly recounts the lives of the legends Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.