Comparing The Film 'Ethan And Martin In The Searchers'

The historical 1956 western film from John Ford of The Searcher’s, questions what is considered white enough in American society in the late 1860s. The Searcher’s asks this question during the interactions of Ethan and Martin throughout the film. From the very first scene between Ethan and Martin we can see the discourse Ethan has against Martin. John Ford knew that this question was even releivant for the time period of the movie and the time period it was released. Ethan is a man who believes in white purity. He is at war with Native Americans, otherwise known as Reds. Martin is 1/8th Cherokee living with Ethan’s brother’s family. In the first interactions between Ethan and Martin of the movie, we can tell Ethan is not in favor of Martin. In the first scene of Ethan seeing Martin, Ethan glares at Martin in disapproval. Ethan knows that Martin is not pure, he is not a completely white man. Martin is in such discuss with Martin that he is

So what is considered white enough in the 1860s? Martin tries to be seen as a white man throughout the course of the movie. Brian Henderson’s article of “The Searchers”: An American Dilemma, describes Martin as being seen “…as an Indian who has become an adopted white. Martin marries Laurie Jorgenson, who is white.” Martin is never seen as a white man, he tries to prove himself as a white man even by marrying a white women. Being white would mean Martin would have a privilege and be seen as an equal. However, since Martin is un-pure Ethan is against this. Henderson also mentions the historical fact of, “…considering the integration of Indians into American society under the rubric of ‘adoption,’ at least in that in American history the detribalization of Indians was a conscious policy.” American Indians around this time were to go through assimilation and become westernized. Many ways of doing this included schooling, adoption, and forced removal from the