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Deconstructing Racist Ideologies In John Ford's The Searchers

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Deconstructing Racist Ideologies in John Ford’s The Searchers
The Searchers, a 1957 film directed by John Ford, is a "visually magnificent" Western that has been praised for its cinematography, action-induced storytelling, and critical portrayal of the American West (Eckstein 1). Within the film, an ideologically significant scene occurs where Ethan, the main protagonist played by John Wayne, shoots out the eyes of a Comanche warrior in his grave. While this scene can be acknowledged for its unhinged cinematic impact, it also emphasizes a larger ideological and societal issue of racism and discrimination against Indigenous people that is implicitly suggested through the actions of Ethan in this scene. In this reflection, an exploration of how …show more content…

As they set out to locate the tribe, Ethan and Martin come across a Comanche burial ground, where a warrior rests in the ground covered by a sheet and rocks. However, while Martin remains respectful of his presence on the site, Ethan intentionally desecrates the body of the dead Comanche and shoots his eyes, contently stating that if he "ain’t got no eyes, he can’t enter the spirit land" (Ford 00:26:54). This scene in particular can be analyzed to demonstrate deeper meaning through the present ideologies of racism and disrespectful portrayal of Indigenous people in American cinema. In this case, Ethan’s disregard for the burial ground is indicative of his racist ideology, which reinforces his belief that Indigenous people are undeserving of human dignity and respect, even in instances of death. Interestingly, in a film like The Searchers, it can be argued that Ford implemented an ideological approach in this scene that reinforces and upholds the discriminatory view of Indigenous people and overall social relations between Americans and Indigenous people (White 61-62). In other words, this scene highlights the broader issue of racism and discrimination against Indigenous people through the atrocious actions of Ethan and his unlimited disrespect towards the Comanches at this point in

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