Reflections
on “Dances With Wolves”,
directed
by Kevin Costner, written by Michael Blake,
starring
Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell and Graham Greene
A video presentation of this page is available here
“Dances With Wolves”
starts with a battle in the American Civil War during which Lt. John Dunbar is badly
wounded and is due to have his foot amputated. Rather than face the pain and
(as he sees it) degradation of this life-changing amputation, he sets out to
face his enemy one last time in a vain attempt to secure death. Although he
fails in his mission, he inspires others to action, victory is gained and he is
rewarded with foot-saving surgery and his choice of a new posting (he opts for
the Western frontier). Thus begins Dunbar’s great adventure and transformation.
The Civil War, apart from
being the catalyst for Dunbar’s future life, may also be viewed as the
encapsulation of the breakdown of the society Dunbar has grown up with, with
men no longer able to live together without dispute and the eruption of
violence over issues such as race, creed, colour, social standing and social
structure.
Dunbar is clearly a man
of honour, dignity, principle and courage, and we see him react to personal
circumstances rather than out of political or social motivation. While he has
fought out of a sense of duty (doubtless in common with many of his fellow
soldiers), he is keen to turn his back on conflict and what has become of
“civilisation” to set off west and explore the frontier (and his own character
and nature).
As he heads west we are
treated to panoramic views of wide open spaces and beautiful vistas. Nature (in
all its forms) is a recurring and pervasive theme – Dunbar is visibly more at
ease and relaxed as he distances himself from “civilisation”, and he regularly
expresses admiration for the beauty around him, even gently stroking the long
grass during a break in his journey. This respect and admiration will also be
displayed through his relationship with various animals, repeated inclusion of
images of water, land and trees, and of course man’s natural tendency toward
society and friendship where these are allowed to develop untroubled by bias,
jealousy, ego and ambition.
The farther Dunbar leaves
behind civilisation, the more “natural” he becomes, though there are reminders
of the effect and influence of the society he has left behind in the form of
his rather uncouth and dismissive driver (who is harmless enough, but has
failed to appreciate and embrace his surroundings as Dunbar appears to do). And
then there is the outpost commander who simply cannot cope in the face of the
spare and difficult living conditions imposed by nature.
Once Dunbar arrives at
his isolated fort, survival and development become his priority – he
establishes himself through sheer hard work and effort and is pleased with the
progress he makes. He leaves behind the conflict, social ambition, greed and
selfishness associated with society and there is a steady lessening of military
mentality and protocol embodied by his gradual abandonment of uniform (he is
entirely naked at his first encounter with Kicking Bird, surely suggesting
Kicking Bird sees the man and not what he represents within the framework of
society).
As he abandons military
structure and conventions and he becomes increasingly self-reliant, he learns
to appreciate the loyalty and friendship of his horse Cisco. He also develops a
relationship with a wolf he names Two Socks, eventually gaining enough of the
wolf’s trust to allow him to feed the wolf by hand, demonstrating not just his
respect and admiration for nature but also his willingness and desire to work
with it.
Through respect and
consideration developed in his isolation, and by focusing on essentials rather
than on social conventions, Dunbar learns to be at one with the land and wild
life, and this attitude extends to social interaction.
The story of the
evolution of Dunbar’s relationship with the Sioux may be somewhat idealised,
but it displays and underlines the potential for good relations and friendship
between people when this is based on mutual respect, understanding and
tolerance, and when focus is maintained on what they have in common rather than
what divides them.
Both Dunbar and the Sioux
are wary and defensive on their first encounters, but neither resorts to
violence and each shows respect for the other, though that trait is not
necessarily shared by everyone. Dunbar’s driver was dismissive of all Indians,
but Dunbar’s first impression of Kicking Bird (who is seen stroking the long
grass in exactly the same way as Dunbar did earlier) is that he is a
“magnificent looking fellow”, while the Sioux talk of white men in disparaging
terms, but Kicking Bird respects Dunbar as he showed no fear at their first
meeting. There are clearly similarities in character and attitude between Dunbar
and Kicking Bird, despite having been brought up in apparently vastly different
cultures.
We discover that Dunbar
and the Sioux share the same core values, share adherence to similar familial
and social structures, and share a closeness to nature. Dunbar’s first view of
the Sioux encampment suggests beauty, peace, tranquillity and above all else, a
oneness with nature with tepees set up next to a fast-flowing river, surrounded
by green plains and alive with the hubbub of people happily going about their
business of getting by.
Communication is achieved
first through mime and then through language as Dunbar’s curiosity and
willingness to learn enable him to gradually adopt the language of his friends.
He does not insist on English or try to impose his culture on the Sioux.
Rather, he adapts to a life and culture he finds appealing. Language is seen as nothing
more than a tool (as opposed to a symbol of authority imposed on others), and
loyalty to formative education and social influences can be abandoned in favour
of something more personally satisfying and enriching.
Stand With A Fist (or
Christine) has also adapted to her circumstances. Originally kidnapped by some
Pawnee as a child after a massacre, Stands With A Fist accepted her lot,
adapted and evolved, finding happiness and fulfilment with the Sioux, marrying,
and even contemplating suicide after the death of her husband. She demands
respect and within the Sioux social structure, she receives it.
As Dunbar shares
experiences, adventures and life-threatening situations with the Sioux, he
becomes an integral part of their community (and vice-versa), cemented by his
romantic involvement with Stands With A Fist and his ever-increasing use of
Lakota, the Sioux language. Belonging is not necessarily restricted to birth,
but can be brought about by action and conviction. When Dunbar (who has been
given the name Dances With Wolves due to his friendly interaction with Two
Socks) marries Stands With A Fist in an Indian ceremony and in Lakota, his
transformation is complete and he has abandoned his former life. He has found
people who share his values, share his respect and admiration for nature and
who, above all, are willing to share their lives with him. He is happy to leave
behind his former existence in favour of a simpler yet more profoundly
satisfying existence based principally on an appreciation and acceptance of
nature.
Of course this idyll in
isolation cannot last – the basis of drama is conflict and Dances With Wolves
must face his past and his former culture.
Reinforcements reach
Dunbar’s outpost and Dances With Wolves realises he has left behind his highly
detailed (and lovingly maintained) journal of his experiences (and
transformation), a journal that could provide potentially devastating
information about the Sioux if it were to fall into the wrong hands. Dances
With Wolves therefore sets off to retrieve it.
Dressed in Indian
clothing, Dances With Wolves is captured, beaten and chained, and is to be
transported to Fort Hayes for hanging as a traitor. The contrast between the
conduct and attitudes of the soldiers and those shown by Dunbar on course to
his transformation could not be more striking and informative. At the same time
as underlining how far Dunbar has come in his sojourn out West, the conduct and
attitudes of the soldiers do much to explain his desire to leave behind
“civilisation”.
In contrast to Dunbar’s
hesitant and wary, yet curious, respectful and positive initial meetings with
the Sioux, the first reaction of the military is to fire upon their “enemy”, thoughtlessly
killing Cisco in the process (in total contrast to the mutually meaningful
development of friendship and loyalty between Dunbar and Cisco).
Dunbar’s lovingly kept
history of his evolution is discovered by illiterate, immature and distinctly unprofessional
young soldiers who proceed to use its pages as toilet paper, once more
emphasising the distance between Dances With Wolves/Dunbar and his former
colleagues who appear to be unwilling to entertain customs or cultures outside
their own.
As Dances With Wolves is
being transported for hanging, his captors spot Two Socks (loyally following
his friend) and, purely for their own indulgence, they take undisciplined pot
shots at him until he is fatally wounded, again in complete contrast with the patient
development of trust and friendship between Dunbar and Two Socks, and Dunbar’s
determined attempts to be at one with nature.
Dances With Wolves is
saved by his Sioux friends who attack his captors with vigour and pride. They
are fired by a sense of righteousness and moral outrage while the decidedly
uninspired young soldiers defend themselves, but through fear and without
conviction or belief in their cause.
This battle takes place
in the middle of a river (an image of nature used frequently in the film) which
may symbolise the flow of nature and constant change. Dances With Wolves enters
the river on one side and leaves it on the other, a different man with no
chance of going back. If his transformation was complete before, he has now
broken all ties with his past. As though to emphasise this, there is a shot of
his journal (containing the story of his life) floating away down river – the
past is gone, now he must think of the future.
The film concludes with
the departure of Dances With Wolves and Stands With A Fist in order to protect
the rest of the tribe from vengeful action by the soldiers who continue to
pursue Dances With Wolves/Dunbar.
There is much sadness as
all are prevented from seeing out a peaceful and natural destiny due to the
imposition of one culture on another. Much is made of being remembered and
appreciation of the influence of friends on one’s life, and ultimately there
is, I suppose, little more one can hope for.
“Dances With Wolves” is a
rare feat in that it manages to combine poetic content with an engrossing
storyline. The achingly human tale of John Dunbar’s transformation into Dances
With Wolves is brilliantly told with beautiful photography, excellent pace and
stunning music which captures the sweep and elegance of the surroundings while
at the same time expressing the feelings of the characters. Huge kudos to Kevin
Costner for managing to create such a heart-warming yet thought-provoking film,
especially with liberal doses of humour mixed with the pathos.
Additional notes
After recently viewing
“Dances With Wolves” for the first time in years, it struck me that the
splendid photography and sweeping shots of stunning scenery merited investment
in a Blu-Ray disc. As I picked up the disc in a local store, I looked along the
row of Westerns and spotted "The Searchers",
a film I’ve long admired. With both discs in hand, I realised both westerns
were influenced by the Civil War, involved kidnap victims and solitary central
figures involved with Indians. In my head, I sought other areas that
might be worthy of comparison and quickly came to the conclusion that actually,
“Dances With Wolves” is virtually the antithesis of “The Searchers”. While that
term might be a bit strong, there are several points of diversity and contrast:
In “The Searchers”, Ethan
remains virtually the same throughout the film – his character is examined and
reasons for his mindset are only hinted at or alluded to. Much of the
interpretation of his character remains in the mind of the viewer, but Ethan is
very much an anti-hero who doesn’t really develop in the course of the film. We
see the same dogged determination tinged with hints at personal trauma in a
variety of situations, but it is his unwavering resolution that makes him
admirable and useful.
In “Dances With Wolves”,
on the other hand, John Dunbar develops, evolves and adapts almost constantly,
and his reactions and reflections are shared with the audience so we can follow
the various stages in his transformation. Dunbar is also undoubtedly heroic –
his attitudes and actions are clearly intended to be inspirational.
Where Ethan is
single-minded and reduces life to a single purpose, Dunbar is open-minded and
desires new experiences.
Ethan is profoundly
disgruntled and disappointed in life (and may have indulged in criminal
activity) while Dunbar remains principled and generally positive, even
idealistic.
In “The Searchers” there
is no real exploration of Indian culture (beyond what helps them in their
search for Ethan’s niece). The only Indian we really get to know is Scar, who
is just as damaged as Ethan. In “Dances With Wolves” there is total
exploration. Kicking Bird is as open as Dunbar and is as ready and willing to
learn as Dunbar.
Ethan eventually finds
the kidnapped Debbie and returns her to civilisation, while Dunbar meets Stands
With A Fist and joins her in an attempt to get away from “civilisation”.
Stands With A Fist
adapted and developed within Sioux culture, unlike the vision of the insane
kidnappees presented in “The Searchers”.
Society is presented in
the form of homely, hard-working and principled homesteaders in “The
Searchers”, while Dunbar finds his militaristic society prejudiced, bigoted and
uninspiring.
At the end of “The
Searchers”, Ethan is virtually shunned by those he has supported, while Dances
With Wolves and Stands With A Fist opt to leave their friends in order to
protect them, much to the chagrin of their fellow tribesmen.
I do not necessarily
contend that Michael Blake (author of “Dances With Wolves”) set out to produce
a work which contrasted so markedly with Alan Le May’s “The Searchers”, but I
do consider that comparison of the two works offers a valid and rich source of
discussion.
My thanks for taking the
time to read this page. I hope you found it of some value.
Stuart Fernie
