The Searchers

Plot and Story 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 …

…are Ethan and Martin; for two very different people they had everything in common. However, in the end Martin will remain civil and Ethan will continue to be an outsider. Ethan sits back and watches everyone go inside a safe and happy home, for him to live that kind of life, “That’ll be the day.” The door to civilization can finally 7 close on the outside world that has given this family so much grief.