Did Shane die of his wounds at the end of the movie by the same name?
“…On the dark brown of his shirt, low and just above the belt to one side of the buckle, the darker spot [was] gradually widening… spreading fanlike above the belt.” In Jack Schaefer’s 1949 novel Shane an important point was left slightly unclear. Did Shane die from gunman Wilson’s bullet, or was his steel character a shield from the lead? Once explored a little, the answer becomes obvious: he lived. Here’s why. Let’s start with a basic. Just as Shane was struck, the author stated, “And Shane stood, solid on his feet as a rooted oak.” This is not the description of a dying man. Now some might point out the statement, “His movements were slow, retarded by an unutterable weariness.” Of course he was unutterably weary. The man was just shot in the gut. He wouldn’t be human if it didn’t affect him. But read on. “The hands were sure and steady…” He still had control of himself. Backing up a little, we find this also shown in his reaction to the second bullet he faced. As the bullet wh
