The character of Ethan has many traits that today might make him seem like he would be the villain of the movie "The Searchers" rather than a hero. If he is viewed with what people consider to be the norm today, Ethan appears to be a racist towards Native Americans, and more subtly, towards Northerners. He even makes comments toward his own blood relatives by saying "they are not white anymore" when they are held captive by the Native Americans for any length of time. He is also violent towards people in ways such as slapping them for attention or punching them if they do not listen to him, two acts a hero would not normally take. When it comes to taking action, he tends to focus only on what he seems to think is right and believes that what he believes is what others should believe. Usually, a hero will obey what is thought to be right while having internal conflict over pondering if it truly is. Instead, Ethan portrays himself as an outcast with only his interests in mind only to prove otherwise in the final scene. Therefore, by today's standards, he is more or less a villain throughout the movie but redeems himself at the end.
However, looking at Ethan from the perspective of viewers when the movie came out in 1956 (viewing it in its setting of the 1860's in Texas), Ethan may very well be considered a hero throughout. The idea of a hero was rather different in that time period. He would not be widely viewed as a racist but rather as a normal member of the former Confederacy. His loner attitude made him a hero in the sense that he works for no one but himself and does what he wants, contributing to the mystic of his true feelings. Actions such as murdering the man he paid to get advice from only to get his investment back would still be seen as wrong, but as a character, it makes him seem like a true rebel that one could not be certain if they could trust him or not. He may seem to have a know-it-all to us, but as for the films setting, it means that he has been through so much in his life that he truly knows situations and how to handle them. With all this in mind, it is easy to see why their is such great debate over Ethan being a hero or a villain.
The role of the audience is indeed important in understanding how Ethan is received. Are there other characters that are influenced the same way?
ReplyDeleteI think this goes back to what we discussed in class last week; why Indians view John Wayne as a hero. John Wayne typically played characters who did whatever was necessary to achieve his goals. His beliefs may not be what we identify as heroic, but it is his conviction to fight for what he believes that makes him a powerful, admirable character.
ReplyDelete