The Searchers: From Novel to Screenplay

Home | The Story | Western Genre | Ideology | The Differences | References

---

The Differences

Satellites

"Satellites are relatively minor events that occur in narratives. Satellites embellish the kernels, add details to them, and flesh them out, but they are not central to the logic of narratives and can be eliminated without doing damage to the way the plot works itself out" (Berger 1997: 36). It is the satellites that differ greatly in relation to the novel and the film. The satellites include,

1) In Alan Le May's novel the main character is named Amos where in the film Ford chooses Ethan.

- This is a minor detail that doesn't affect the plot of the story. The novel and the film can still be interpreted in the same way.

2) Unlike the movie, the novel does not suggest even slightly that Ethan was a lawbreaker and an outlaw.

- John Ford sets up the story to suggest that Ethan is unruly, wild and a menace to the Indians. Therefore the audience is able to relate to Ethan's unruly behaviour especially his hatred towards the Indians. This is similar to the western genre of the 1950's. In the novel, on the other hand, the Ethan character is much different in this regard. Ethan is polite, personable and presents less of a threat to the Indian people.

3) In the novel, unlike the movie, Ethan does not mysteriously disappear for three years from the family ranch.

- This is a minor detail that doesn't affect the kernel of the story but rather adds meaning to the film's version. Ford wants to show that Ethan is an outcast from the rest of society. This allows a lot of Ethan's racial hatred to go unnoticed because the audience believes that it is a part of his character.

NEXT

 

 

 

Justin De Clercq