In Jane Tompkins’ West of Everything, she makes the statement that the desert landscape of the Western gives off the spiritual message “come and suffer” (71). This is the exact message given to Ethan Edwards, played by John Wayne, in Ford’s The Searchers. Edwards return’s from a hunt with the Texas Rangers to find his only blood relatives brutally murdered by the Comanche Indians. Upon surveying the scene, Edwards is faced with the daunting task of journeying off into the vast desert once again. It is more than apparent that the land is indeed sending him the message “come and suffer.” Edwards is prepared for this hardship as he sets out on his mission. For five years he follows the trail of the Comanche with Martin.
The entirety of the film is spent showcasing the Western desert and how hard it can make a man. As Tompkins asserts, “It is an environment inimical to human begins, where a person is exposed, the sun beats down, and there is no place to hide. But the negations of the physical setting – no shelter, no water, no rest, no comfort – are also its siren song. Be brave, be strong enough to endure this, it says, and you will become like this – hard, austere, sublime” (71). Edwards is perfect evidence of the effect the landscape can have on a person. When he first rides up in the opening scene, one tiny man set against the enormous Texan backdrop, he appears hardened. His face looks as though he has been living on the land for years, and he speaks harshly toward everyone. It is very clear that he has endured the hardships of the land and has become just like it. The siren song also shows the development of Martin as a man in this environment. In the very beginning of the film, Martin is still wet behind the ears to say the least. He is not trusted by Edwards, and is very nervous about everything as he rides alongside Edwards. However, as the film progresses and Martin spends more time in the wilderness he becomes a hardened individual, typical of the Western cowboy. This is evident when Martin leaves Laurie to follow Edwards, and again when he is willing to risk his own life and ride into the Comanche camp to save Debbie, and even stand in front of her when Edwards is ready to shoot her because she has become like the Comanche. Both Edwards and Martin live out the siren song of the West.
Tompkins points out how one of the hero’s chief skills is his ability to navigate and understand the many folds in the land. Edwards shows this ability brilliantly as he leads Martin, and at other times a few other men through every challenge the desert has to offer. The men climb the steeps, conquer the buttes, and even manage to get through some canyons thanks to Edward’s connection with the land. Not even blizzards can stop Edwards and Martin in their pursuit of the Comanche chief.
Tompkins concludes her chapter on the land by giving a brief insight into life in the town. She states that the town has a pulling effect that tries to drag the hero in and detract him from his goal. This element of the town is not evident in the film. Edwards has no desire to leave the trail of the Comanche and at one point says, “Our turning back means nothing. Nothing in the long run.” However, Tompkins does also assert that the town is the area where the hero goes to do some trading or seeks out information (86). This is in fact the only reason Edwards and Martin are ever in town during the five years the spend searching for the Comanche. On very seldom occasions, they enter town or a trading post to trade some money for information on where the Comanche may be. They have no attachment to the town that is strong enough to keep them there. The only force pulling Martin in is Laurie and his development as a Western hero prohibits him from staying with her until his work out in the desert is complete.
In Jane Tomkins’ West of Everything, she makes the statement that the desert landscape of the Western gives off the spiritual message “come and suffer” (71). This is the exact message given to Ethan Edwards, played by John Wayne, in Ford’s The Searchers. Edwards return’s from a hunt with the Texas Rangers to find his only blood relatives brutally murdered by the Comanche Indians. Upon surveying the scene, Edwards is faced with the daunting task of journeying off into the vast desert once again. It is more than apparent that the land is indeed sending him the message “come and suffer.” Edwards is prepared for this hardship as he sets out on his mission. For five years he follows the trail of the Comanche with Martin.
ReplyDeleteThe entirety of the film is spent showcasing the Western desert and how hard it can make a man. As Tompkins asserts, “It is an environment inimical to human begins, where a person is exposed, the sun beats down, and there is no place to hide. But the negations of the physical setting – no shelter, no water, no rest, no comfort – are also its siren song. Be brave, be strong enough to endure this, it says, and you will become like this – hard, austere, sublime” (71). Edwards is perfect evidence of the effect the landscape can have on a person. When he first rides up in the opening scene, one tiny man set against the enormous Texan backdrop, he appears hardened. His face looks as though he has been living on the land for years, and he speaks harshly toward everyone. It is very clear that he has endured the hardships of the land and has become just like it. The siren song also shows the development of Martin as a man in this environment. In the very beginning of the film, Martin is still wet behind the ears to say the least. He is not trusted by Edwards, and is very nervous about everything as he rides alongside Edwards. However, as the film progresses and Martin spends more time in the wilderness he becomes a hardened individual, typical of the Western cowboy. This is evident when Martin leaves Laurie to follow Edwards, and again when he is willing to risk his own life and ride into the Comanche camp to save Debbie, and even stand in front of her when Edwards is ready to shoot her because she has become like the Comanche. Both Edwards and Martin live out the siren song of the West.
Tompkins points out how one of the hero’s chief skills is his ability to navigate and understand the many folds in the land. Edwards shows this ability brilliantly as he leads Martin, and at other times a few other men through every challenge the desert has to offer. The men climb the steeps, conquer the buttes, and even manage to get through some canyons thanks to Edward’s connection with the land. Not even blizzards can stop Edwards and Martin in their pursuit of the Comanche chief.
Tomkins concludes her chapter on the land by giving a brief insight into life in the town. She states that the town has a pulling effect that tries to drag the hero in and detract him from his goal. This element of the town is not evident in the film. Edwards has no desire to leave the trail of the Comanche and at one point says, “Our turning back means nothing. Nothing in the long run.” However, Tompkins does also assert that the town is the area where the hero goes to do some trading or seeks out information (86). This is in fact the only reason Edwards and Martin are ever in town during the five years they spend searching for the Comanche. On very seldom occasions, they enter town or a trading post to trade some money for information on where the Comanche may be. They have no attachment to the town that is strong enough to keep them there. The only force pulling Martin in is Laurie and his development as a Western hero prohibits him from staying with her until his work out in the desert is complete.