Arthur Redding Western Conventions

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Genre conventions are the basis of every genre. These conventions can range anywhere from how characters are often portrayed to an iconic setting. In the Western genre, there is a thematic binary that is always employed, in which the savagery of the West and wilderness is set against the civilization of livelihood. Another convention utilized in the Western genre is the protagonist archetype of the “good bad-man” in which the lead character is in a liminal position and marginalized from civilization but still ends up saving the civilization that has pushed him away. Finally, the iconography conventions of the Western genre often include Monument Valley, but in general includes large expanses of deserts, mountains, and rivers. Shane (George …show more content…

For example, in the scene where Shane and the townsfolk go to Grafton’s for a type of day trip, this binary is clear in that Shane eventually starts fighting Calloway and eventually the rest of Ryker’s men join in while the townsfolk just watch on in fear. Of course, Joe Starrett eventually comes to help Shane, but this ends up making him more marginalized from his community. In Arthur Redding’s “Frontier Mythographies” he asserts that in the Western genre, “one must be somewhat savage in order to secure and defend civilization” (Redding). Although none of the townsfolk understand that Shane is overall just protecting them from Calloway and the rest of Ryker’s gang, that is the underlying meaning of Shane’s fight. Nothing is explicitly said about the townsfolk, but there is talk about “sodbusters” being dirty and undeserving, and that is what most of the townspeople do, while it seems Shane is fighting Calloway for his honor, the truth is that he is fighting for the honor of the people that welcomed him into their …show more content…

Shane has wanted to leave that part of him behind since the very beginning, and he has been forced to protect the civilization that doesn’t like him. This is also a big reason why Shane knows he has to leave town after he kills Wilson, Ryker, and his men. The townspeople already didn’t like him very much and after killing someone, they would all look at him differently even if he was trying to help them and make their lives better. Finally, the iconography of the Western genre is a significant representation of the traditional Western hero and civilization. First of all, the first time Shane is seen in this film, he is coming from the vast expanse of the wilderness. In the background all the audience sees is the towering mountains and large desert that he has most likely had to brave to get to the Starrett’s homestead. Josh Jones articulates that the iconography of the Western genre is “shorthand for freedom, adventure, and the risks of the frontier” (Jones). This claim is obvious in this scene because Shane is alone, meaning he has the freedom to go wherever he

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