Noble Savage/Playing With

Basic Trope: "Uncivilized" peoples are shown as being morally superior to "civilized" people.

• Straight: Bob comes from a modern society filled with dishonest, corrupt, greedy politicians and businessmen. He comes into contact with a tribe of "savages" only to find out that they are more diligent, honest, and in tune with the earth than his own society is.
• Exaggerated: The barbarian tribe is a Mary Suetopia.
• Justified: Because the "savages" are not part of the Evil Empire that Bob just left, and look very good in comparison.
• Inverted: A person from a primitive culture leaves his tribe for modern, urban society and finds the people there morally superior.
• Subverted: The tribe appears to be made up of Noble Savages but they turn out to be just as dishonest, corrupt, and greedy as anyone in "civilized" society.
• Double Subverted: Because they were exposed to it by Bob! Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!
• Parodied: The savages are paid actors!
• Deconstructed: The work examines poverty and hardship caused by a life of hunting-gathering or subsistence farming. A life of near constant desperation makes it hard for the tribe to create the moral codes we'd expect from Noble Savages. Truth in Television as nomadic tribes had little room for compassion to the sick and disabled. Infanticide was also common.
• Reconstructed: But in spite, or maybe because of, all this hardship, the moral code and honor they adopt are iron clad and makes them more noble than those who are not "savages"
• Averted: They are all jerks.
• Enforced: They kill those who are not noble.
• Lampshaded:
• Invoked: "Don't worry, they may be stupid, but they are nice."
• Defied: "Screw nobility! I'm going to act like a REAL savage!"
• Discussed:
• Conversed:
• Played For Laughs: ???
• Played For Drama: ???

---

Back to Noble Savage