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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.

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.

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