Freeper Reading Club Discussion: Shane

Self | August 12, 2002 | PJ-Comix

[Dusty Rose]

Definitely a book about character. A key line, as I recall,
"It's not what a man knows that's important, it's who he is..."

[shetlan]

"...(Shane) lead the horse over to the trough. He pumped it almost full and let the horse sink its nose in the cool water before he picked up the dipper for himself."

I loved Shane from the first chapter. The only thing better than the barroom brawl was the gunfight. Whoa.

[Antoninus]

Well I ended up reading Shane in two nights, then rented the movie.

In terms of the history of the Western, I'm not sure where Shane fits in. It certainly felt like an archetype of the Clint Eastwood movies many of us love so well. The mysterious stranger rides into town with a clouded past and a good heart. He takes up with little folks who are being abused by the bigger interests and helps even the playing field a bit. This type of story is very attractive and it certainly worked on me. I enjoyed reading it a great deal.

A couple of themes I really appreciated:

• The notion that hard work is a virtue and that hard workers appreciate the efforts of others of the same stripe on some kind of innate level. For anyone having worked in a modern office environment, this sort of camaraderie is often non-existent, particularly where unionization is heavy. Work is considered a vice and only suckers work their guts out.

• The idea that you shouldn't tread on a man just because he appears smaller or outnumbered. It could come back to bite you. While not unique to American Lit, it's certainly an attractive notion.

• The idea that men respect a fighter. I loved the scene where Chris, whom Shane had absolutely stomped earlier, came to respect and understand where Shane and Joe were coming from even to the point where he signed on as Joe's hired man at the end.

• The notion that one should have excellent fighting skills and do all in your power to avoid using them. Of course, this idea is also not uniquely American (as anyone trained in martial arts knows), it is a good, solid lesson based on the ancient maxim, "If you wish for peace, prepare for war."
The movie also had an interesting scene that was not present in the book where Shane was explaining to Bobby that a gun is no better or worse than the man using it -- that a gun is a tool. This is a sentiment that I've heard many times on FR and have made myself on occasion.

On the negative side, I thought the implied "sexual tension" between Shane and Mrs. Starret was unnecessary and added little to the story. I'm still trying to figure out why the author bothered injecting it in there. Any ideas?

Overall, though, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Shane. Great pick.

[Antoninus]

One interesting thing here not in the movie. The gunfighter Wilson was just a shade too fast. He was able to draw quickly enougn to wound Shane. In the movie, Wilson was unable to hit Shane who was wounded by someone using a rifle from above.

You know, I read and re-read that part several times and I came away thinking that Wilson actually hadn't been able to hit Shane in the book -- that it only appeared that he hit Shane, but that the bullet had actually come from the balcony. Was I wrong?

[JulieRNR21]

This book discussion is a great idea...thanks for creating this thread.

The most moving part for me was when the boy, Bob encountered Shane just before the gunfight at the saloon.
Shane talks to him about the beauty & importance of the land.

IMHO there was a longing in Shane to be part of that 'land' and this added to his desire to help Starrette & his family keep the farm.

He also wanted Bob to have a chance to grow up in a stable family and make roots in the community. One thing that surprised me was Starrette's suggestion that the family take off for another place. It seemed 'out of character'.

'Shane' was so beautifully written. I loved the simplicity and honesty. I wondered if the author, Schaefer had any other successful books?

I wish there would be a remake of the film Shane but the message it contains is not PC.....the 'government' isn't always there to protect you from evil men and therefore 'good men' need to be self-reliant and have 'good tools'.

I saw this first hand in the LA riots when the Korean shopkeepers stood on the roofs of their businesses with their rifles locked & loaded. The rioters bypassed those streets.

[PJ-Comix]

It's like pulling teeth to get him to read something new! He really enjoyed it.

This is one reason why I led off the Freeper Reading Club with Shane. Many people are not used to reading whole books so I started off with an easy read to give them confidence to read the other books. The next one, Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test is a longer book but it is a fun (and funny) read. As the confidence levels build up, I will be assigning even more challenging books. Don't worry. They will ALL be interesting reads because I won't be assigning books that I didn't read before.

[PJ-Comix]

The movie also had an interesting scene that was not present in the book where Shane was explaining to Bobby that a gun is no better or worse than the man using it -- that a gun is a tool.

Maybe not in your copy of the book but in my copy on page 36 this is what Shane says:

"Listen, Bob. A gun is just a tool. No better and no worse than any other tool, a shovel--or an axe or a saddle or a stove or anything. Think of it always that way. A gun is as good--and as bad--as the man who carries it. Remember that."

This is one reason why you won't be seeing Shane as a reading assignment in public schools today. BTW, for you home schoolers, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Shane as a reading assignment.

[PJ-Comix]

You know, I read and re-read that part several times and I came away thinking that Wilson actually hadn't been able to hit Shane in the book -- that it only appeared that he hit Shane, but that the bullet had actually come from the balcony. Was I wrong?

I reread it and the wound definitely came from Wilson. It was just about his belt to one side of the buckle which means it was a much more serious wound than that in the movie which means there was a greater likelihood that Shane wouldn't survive.

[another cricket]

On the negative side, I thought the implied "sexual tension" between Shane and Mrs. Starret was unnecessary and added little to the story. I'm still trying to figure out why the author bothered injecting it in there. Any ideas?

Just one. In chapter 13 Joe Starret is speaking.

“I can’t see the full finish. But I can see this. Wilson down and there’ll be an end to it. Fletcher’ll be done. The town will see to that. I can’t beat Wilson on the draw. But there’s strength enough in this clumsy body of mine to keep me on my feet till I get him, too.” Mother stirred and was still, and his voice went on. “Things could be worse. It helps a man to know that if anything happens to him, his family will be in better hands then his own."

Shane being there gave Joe the peace to do what he felt he had to do. No matter what happened he knew that Shane would look out for his family.

As for Shane it was his moment of truth. He was offered everything he wanted in that moment. Everything that was Joe's would be his. All he had to do was, nothing.

Instead he chose to take Joe's place knowing he could die and also knowing that he would lose everything even if he survived.

In a odd way the theme of this book is "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” Joe for the other farmers and Shane and Shane for Joe.

a.cricket

[RightWhale]

Shane and Electric Kool-Aid are great. By all means, add me to your ping list.

[PJ-Comix]

Done.

[WHATNEXT?]

Oh, my God - I just wrote a book and it didn't post. Can't believe it!!!

[WHATNEXT?]

Is there a way to retrieve it?

[SamAdams76]

That happened to me a few times and I know how frustrating that can be! What I do now is when I am composing a long post, I do it in Notepad (saving regularly) and then cut and paste it here when I'm done.

[RightWhale]

it was significant that he came originally from a Southern background

After the War, many young men left the Old South. Some went to Texas, some farther West. Doc Holiday was one of those. Military experience, but had enough of war. Still could act in a deadly manner if required. Shane may have been one of those. If so, possibly from Georgia.

Zane Gray also wrote a biographical novel of George Washington as a young man, and put a lot of the old frontier ethics into George, even though the frontier was a lot closer to the east coast then.

[PJ-Comix]

Doc Holiday was one of those.

Doc Holliday was the fiance of one of Margaret ("Gone With The WInd") Mitchell's cousins. I believe she based the character of Melanie on this cousin. He left her to go West and she never recovered. I read something about this in a biography of Margaret Mitchell.

[WHATNEXT?]

Well this one will be shorter (probably making it better)(I hope.)

Since this book was probably written in 1948, published in 1949, I see many themes of the WWII movies. Doing the right thing, fighting only when you have to, reluctant heros.

You also have a Connecticut author that is adding to the mystification of the West and its strong silent characters.

Shane's illustrations brought back my childhood moments of reading books with wonderful drawings. I would return time and again to the pictures to look for more details.

Did you notice that most of the characters have names like, - Joe, Sam, Bob, Chris - but the two gunmen are named Shane and Stark (both start with S, same number of letters but Stark is well --- Starker).

How about that karate kick - I was truly surprised. A book from the 40's had a kick to the head.

You have to confess that some things were just too dramatically overdone. Like, ""..that he killed Wilson before they got him (Shane). I know. HE WAS SHANE." Or, "No bullet can kill that man." Hero, hero, writ very large.

I wonder if "What a Wonderful Life," lifted this from Shane "He's not gone. He's here, in this place, in this place he gave us. He's all around us and in us and he always will be."

Could those who rented the movie refresh my memory about the famous "Shane, Shane, come back." At least that's how I recall it. The closest in the book was, "Shane," I whispered desperately, loud as I dared without the men inside hearing me. "Oh, Shane!"

I don't think Shane was from a Southern aristocratic background. His family moved from Missouri to Arkansas and he left when he was 15. I think one of the most revealing lines spoken by Shane is, "A man is what he is...no breaking the mold...a real man behind him (Bob's father) the kind that could back him (Bob) for the chance another kid (Shane) never had."

[PJ-Comix]

I wonder if "What a Wonderful Life," lifted this from Shane "He's not gone. He's here, in this place, in this place he gave us. He's all around us and in us and he always will be."

Actually this sounds somewhat New Testament Biblical. I don't think I have to spell it out for you.

[WHATNEXT?]

Well, yes one way of viewing it.

[Auntie Mame]

As for Shane it was his moment of truth. He was offered everything he wanted in that moment. Everything that was Joe's would be his. All he had to do was, nothing.

Yes, yes, yes. You hit it right on the head.

Excellent!