nally involved with creating a community that he wishes to continue to see flourish; even if his choice dictates that he has to leave in order to succeed. Wade Hatton, (Errol Flynn) in Dodge City, is a much more extroverted hero than Shane, and has greater plans to reform the town than merely just driving out the criminal element. Hatton's entry to the film is also much more grand. He is a “soldier of fortune transplanted to the American frontier.” (Abel 18). This alone creates the illusion of Hatton being a much more romantic hero and having greater plans than merely just wanting to build a community. He wishes to clean out the wickedness and lawlessness that Dodge City has become. To do this, he introduces sweeping reforms that not only remove the criminal element, but also set a moral tone for the community. This establishes him as a community leader who is willing to do whatever is necessary to curb the violence and death that has stricken the town. He even arrests his friend Rusty (Alan Hart) for carrying a gun to prove that no one is above the law. People respect Hatton for who he is and what he has done for the community, not necessarily for who he is as a person. This fact sets him apart from Shane. Hatton's actions are dictated by his own morals and beliefs, (the desire to make the community ‘safe for women and children’) not from any kind of loyalty or friendship to any individuals. In Shane, the relationship between Shane and Joey Starret is important because much of his humanity is shown through his interaction with the boy. Through Joey we are presented with the benefits of why Shane should stay with the Starrets. They represent stability and the predictability of life, which Shane attempts to integrate himself into by the symbolic removing of his moleskins and the donning of working denims. Shane can also be seen as “a rival father for Joey,” (Miller 69) because of the boy's hero worshi...
