In The West-Hardboiled: Adaptations of Film Noir Elements, Existentialism, and Ethics in John Wayne’s Westerns, Matheson discusses moral individualism and pervasive corruption in Wayne’s Western, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. I both agree and disagree with different aspects of Matheson’s synopsis on the two alpha cowboys, Doniphon and Valance, as well as Rance Stoddard. Matheson notes a key quote in the movie where Doniphon advices Stoddard to start carrying a gun, which I found interesting. I agreed with Stoddard in the sense that he should not carry a gun, as it would only be a step back from creating a more civilized community. Matheson notes that he has become just like Shinbone’s residents, settling the problem how everyone else in Shinbone would, with violence. Such is a typical custom of the West, which Stoddard recognizes, but I do not believe completely conforms to. Matheson states that Stoddard, “places himself outside the law”, like Valance, which I don’t think to be completely true either. Stoddard simply recognizes that the law he is used to is not the law in the West. Matheson contradicts the last statement in the next paragraph, “In Shinbone, the individual does not enforce the law; he is the law.” If individual action to resolve an issue is the law, how is Stoddard defying the law, and therefore himself by taking action? He is not. He is simply acting as he should in the situation.
Matheson states that both Doniphon and Valance are very much alike, both “callous, remorseless, and manipulative.” While both do posses such characteristics at times, they are very much different. While they are alike in kind (antisocial and disordered personality), they very much differ in degree. Their motives for murder and individualism are much different. Valance acts in such ways out of greed for wealth and power, while Doniphon does not care about either, but only acts in such mannerisms out of love; love for the good of the town and love for Hallie. Doniphon is good at heart while Valance is evil.
Matheson believes that Stoddard and Hallie are acting an bad faith when they do not reveal the reason behind the success of their lives and the town, but I disagree. I believe they did the right thing in keeping it a secret, because their story represents the notion of change for the better in the West: a civilized community. Both Doniphon and Stoddard recognized this and are not living in vain with the secret.
In The West-Hardboiled: Adaptations of Film Noir Elements, Existentialism, and Ethics in John Wayne’s Westerns, Matheson discusses moral individualism and pervasive corruption in Wayne’s Western, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. I both agree and disagree with different aspects of Matheson’s synopsis on the two alpha cowboys, Doniphon and Valance, as well as Rance Stoddard. Matheson notes a key quote in the movie where Doniphon advices Stoddard to start carrying a gun, which I found interesting. I agreed with Stoddard in the sense that not all men should be walking around carrying guns, as it would only be a step back from creating a more civilized community. Matheson notes that he has become just like Shinbone’s residents, settling the problem of Liberty Valance how everyone else in Shinbone would, with violence. Such is a typical custom of the West, which Stoddard recognizes, but I do not believe he completely conforms to it. Matheson states that Stoddard, “places himself outside the law”, like Valance, which I don’t think to be completely true either. Stoddard simply recognizes that the law he is used to is not the law in the West. Matheson contradicts the last statement in her next paragraph, “In Shinbone, the individual does not enforce the law; he is the law.” If individual action to resolve an issue is the law in the west, how is Stoddard defying the law, and therefore his own morals by taking action? He is not. He is simply acting as he should in the situation because of where he is in the country.
ReplyDeleteMatheson states that both Doniphon and Valance are very much alike, both “callous, remorseless, and manipulative.” While both do posses such characteristics at times, they are very much different. While they are alike in kind (antisocial and disordered personality), they very much differ in degree. Their motives for murder and individualism are much different. Valance acts in such ways out of greed for wealth and power, while Doniphon does not care about either, but only acts in such mannerisms out of love; love for the good of the town and love for Hallie. Doniphon is good at heart while Valance is evil.
Matheson believes that Stoddard and Hallie are acting in bad faith when they do not reveal the reason behind what led to the success of their lives and the town, but I disagree. I believe they did the right thing in keeping it a secret, because their story represents the notion of change for the better in the West. By keeping it a secret they maintain the integrity of their newly civilized community. Both Doniphon and Stoddard recognized this and are not living in vain with the secret, as they are happy to see the results of their actions.