Joe sensed this as well and surprisingly did not seem to feel jealous over it. Ceding his place at the head of the table to Shane is significant. If a visitor came to stay with you, would you do the same? I'm not talking about somebody coming over for dinner but somebody who comes for an extended visit. Towards the end of the book, Joe seems to realize that his wife's affections might be shifting towards Shane and is thus more easily willing to risk his life in the final confrontation with Fletcher and Wilson, knowing that his family will be in "better hands than his own" should he fall.
Then you have Shane, after deciding to take on Fletcher and Wilson himself (after punching out Joe), has his final exchange with Mrs. Starrett in which she asks "Are you doing this just for me?"
"No, Marian." Shane responds, "Could I separate you in my mind and still be a man?"
Pretty heavy stuff.
My feeling is that Shane had for himself a similar woman to Marian Starrett earlier in his life and lost her for whatever reason. Marian seems to have provoked bittersweet feelings of what might have been and what may yet be. But despite the sexual attraction rising between them, Shane would never think of taking her from such a fine man as Joe Starrett and besides, perhaps realized that she was better off with Joe in the first place.
I think there is a great moral message here.
I see Shane as a professional warrior. Which is quite different then your regular run of the mill Joe who will fight to defend what is his. The professional is just a little to good at it and that makes those around him uneasy. They want him on their side when there is trouble but as soon as the trouble is over he is either politely or not so politely asked to move on.
He has come to expect this and I think is at a fork in his life as he comes to the fork in the road. Should he ride on up to the Fletcher ranch or not? If people are going to reject you anyway why shouldn’t you grab for the money and power? Why waste your talent on the ungrateful whom will only throw you away when they are through with you?
Shane makes a choice or maybe he just decides to scout the land a little before deciding. And there is Joe, Marian and Bob.
“Help your self to the water.” That is expected. Refusing someone a drink just wasn’t done.
“Will you join us for supper?” Now this was not so expected, nor was the invitation to stay the night. Joe had to know what Shane was even if Bob didn’t see it. So why?
The next day when Joe defends Shane to Jake is another shock. Shane is being valued for being a decent honest person, period. Not for his fighting skills but for something else entirely.
Shane stays on out of curiosity at first maybe. Probably wondering when Joe is going to ask him to pay up in the form of using his fighting skills for the farmers. But instead of being an outcast to be tolerated for his usefulness he is treated as a valued friend of the family. Joe trusts Shane with his farm, his home, his son and his wife.
Maybe Joe had some idea of using Shane in the beginning but in the end he doesn’t even ask Shane to fight for him only to look out for his family. Actually he doesn’t even ask. He just assumes that Shane will do the right thing. Joe, by his actions, gave Shane the chance that he never had as a kid.
a.cricket