Although both Tom Dunson and Matt Garth appear to fulfill the role of the alpha male at different points throughout the film Red River, Tom Dunson is at all times the lone alpha male cowboy. It’s very easy to consider the two to both be alpha male cowboys since throughout the film many of the characteristics of the alpha cowboy are seen in how they both are experts with the land, their guns, and leadership. But what separates Dunson and Garth and makes Dunson the lone alpha cowboy is how his presence is constantly felt even when he is replaced by Garth as the leader and banished from the herd. As the herd is pulling away from Dunson and he proclaims to Garth that he’ll catch up to him and kill him, Dunson displays his “hardness and austerity” that the alpha male gets from the land (73). His words are penetrating and are something that stays with Garth as he continues on without Dunson. Dunson directly tells Garth that every time he turns around he should expect to see him because he’ll eventually be there for his vengeance.
From then on Garth’s mind as well as the minds of his fellow herders is impacted by Dunson’s last parting words. His words can be seen to have had and affect on Garth because as the fog rolls in Garth and the men become nervous because they are vulnerable and know Dunson’s capabilities. And later when they reach Abilene, the man from town who buys the cattle reiterates how the men are nervous about Dunson’s return. To have that type of impact on the minds of that many men is quite considerable. As an alpha male there is no question who has top authority. And it seems that although Dunson is not there physically, his merciless spirit is still constantly with the men. The men may now take direction from Garth but he is still below Dunson as the alpha male. The cattle still bears Dunson’s brand and he can still take them back when he’s not vastly outnumbered and wounded like he was when the mutiny took place. Garth is skilled and capable of being the alpha male cowboy without a doubt. But until he is permanently given a herd of cattle that is his and he can show that he can rightly defend it like Dunson did for fourteen years, he can then be given that title. But by just assuming the leadership role from the teacher after a mutiny does not give him the alpha male status. That status takes years of work to build a reputation that Garth has not done yet.
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Although both Tom Dunson and Matt Garth appear to fulfill the role of the alpha male at different points throughout the film Red River, Tom Dunson is at all times the lone alpha male cowboy. It’s very easy to consider the two to both be alpha male cowboys since throughout the film many of the characteristics of the alpha cowboy appear in the two. They both are experts with the deciphering the land, using their guns, and leading the men. But what separates Dunson and Garth and makes Dunson the lone alpha cowboy is how his presence is constantly felt even when he is replaced by Garth as the leader and is banished from the herd. As the herd is pulling away from Dunson and he proclaims to Garth that he’ll catch up to him and kill him, Dunson displays his “hardness and austerity” that the alpha male gets from the land (73). His words are penetrating and are something that stays with Garth as he continues on without Dunson. Dunson directly tells Garth that every time he turns around he should expect to see him because he’ll eventually be there for his vengeance.
ReplyDeleteFrom then on, Garth’s mind, as well as the minds of his fellow herders are impacted by Dunson’s last parting words. When the fog rolls in on Garth, the group becomes nervous because they know that they are vulnerable. They know Dunson’s capabilities and if he finds them he will level the score and kill some of them because in the west, “death is merely a matter of balancing the books” as Matheson states (893). Dunson has the type of personality that will drive a man to kill to settle the score. Garth lacks that quality. He was merciful upon Dunson by leaving him with supplies and a horse. By Dunson’s parting tone, he would not be as merciful. Later when they reach Abilene, the man from town who buys the cattle reiterates how the men are nervous about Dunson’s return. To have that type of impact on the minds of that many men is quite considerable. As an alpha male, there is no question that he has top authority. And it seems that although Dunson is not there physically, his merciless spirit is still constantly with the men. The men may now take direction from Garth but he is still below Dunson as the alpha male. The cattle still bears Dunson’s brand and he is still capable of taking them back when he’s not vastly outnumbered and wounded like he was when the mutiny took place. Garth is skilled and capable of being the alpha male cowboy without a doubt. But until he is permanently given a herd of cattle that is his and he can show that he can rightly defend it like Dunson did for fourteen years, he can then be given that title. But by just assuming the leadership role after a mutiny does not give him the alpha male status. That status takes years of work to build. It is a reputation that Garth has not done yet achieved.