The Searchers

A detailed Summary of The Searchers


In 1956, one of the most memorable western films ever made was The Searchers, directed by John Ford. The thematic opposition represented in this movie is revenge, one man's wandering and obsessive search. It is also a story about the struggle for self-discovery and the matter of racial prejudice.

The first scene takes us to the opening of a frontier cabin door. The framing forces us to see two different ways of life. The interior area represents a civilized world with morals and established values. The exterior, or the outside, is representative of what is savage and hostile.

After many years, Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) unexpectedly returns from the war to visit his brother Aaron (Walter Coy). It is clearly obvious that Ethan is an outsider, he will never know how it feels to live a civil life and understand the norms of society. In fact, his presence destroys the stability of the Edwards family.

Upon Ethan's arrival the audience can get a sense of the different relationships the characters have established. Aaron's wife Martha (Dorothy Jordan) greets Ethan in a way that indicates they had a previous relationship. The implication tells us that Martha would have married Ethan had he not disappeared s


Martin meets up with Ethan again to continue with their search and clues start to pop up about Debbie. A deceitful trader named Mr. Futterman found out information about Debbie and a piece of her clothing. The two searchers almost got killed receiving this information but it only led them closer to their chase.



Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1486
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Movies

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