Sam Grudzien
The Civil War to Modern America
The Searchers
Reflection Essay

Tom Ford’s The Searchers is a Western film starring John Wayne who plays Ethan Edwards, a Civil War veteran, and spends the film on a search for his niece Debbie who was abducted by a Native American tribe called the Comanche. On his search, Wayne is accompanied by Jeffrey Hunter, who plays as Edwards’ nephew Martin Pawley. The two men search for five years before finding Debbie. Throughout the movie we learn as viewers that Ethan is a racist man and shows no respect towards Native Americans. We also find out that even though he has devoted five years of his life searching for Debbie, his plan is to murder her simply because he would rather see her dead than living as an Indian. John Wayne plays the role of Ethan Edwards in the film The Searchers and his character is a Western hero, but not a typical Western hero. Ethan is a hate-driven, racist outlaw and a loner with no wife or children. In the beginning of the film Ethan rides up to his brother’s home and has no explanation of where he has been or what he has been doing. He does whatever he wants and doesn’t care to let anyone know. Ethan also shows some anti-social behaviors during the funeral scene. While everyone is mourning the deaths of Ethan’s brother Aaron and his family, Ethan is eager to begin the hunt for the Native Americans. He ends the funeral by saying “Put an amen to it. There’s no more time for praying. Amen”. Ethan is not a typical Western hero because instead of doing things for other people, most of his actions are for himself. The search is to find Debbie, but Ethan’s main concern is killing the Comanche. When he finally finds Debbie he is ready to kill her because he hates Indians so much that he would rather see her dead than living as one. Going from a man on a quest to find his niece Debbie, he turned into