MovieChat Forums > Jeremiah Johnson (1972) Discussion > What does it mean? (***spoilers***)

What does it mean? (spoilers)

posted 13 years ago by lylesanford
11 replies | jump to latest

After Johnson finds his family dead, he sulks in the cabin for a while. Eventually, he hears footsteps and looks up to see his horse walking to the front door, where it stopped.

Anyone know what the true meaning of that is? I've can think of only three possibilities:

1) Gotta move on now. "Get back on the horse" and move forward with your life.

2) Let's go get 'em. Johnson realizes he's gotta jump on the horse and hunt down the indians responsible for his family's death.

3) This horse is all I've got now. My family's dead now it's just you and me again.

A fourth option is that the scene has no symbolism. That's already an option I've deeply considered, and dismissed.

It's gotta mean something.

[–] pheters 13 years ago

Interesting question. I would say 1, 2 and 3, all of them.

[–] rexb-2 10 years ago

Agreed

[–] partsman 13 years ago

I always just took at as the horse comes looking for him because he's been in there for days and when he hears it it snaps him back to reality.

[–] turtletommy 13 years ago

I agree, it just shows he's been in there quite a while. "Sulks" isn't what I would characterize he was doing after finding his family dead either.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] SirGuySirLot 10 years ago

I think the meaning or symbolism of the horse walking to the doorway was intentionally left to the viewer's own interpretation. I thought it was cool how JJ didn't jump or appear startled by the appearance of the horse (it could've been a lingering Indian about to attack). He just seemed to gradually accept the horse's presence in the finality of the moment.

[–] cheapfrill 8 years ago

Any domestic animal can get used to a routine and will let you know if you break it.

[–] tenantennae 8 years ago

It means back to wandering alone for Jeremiah.

[–] GrowingFamily (271) 6 years ago

I like all of your options. To me, I know I'm being anthropomorphic, the horse was comforting him.

[–] joegerardi (380) 6 years ago

Probably because the horse was hungry.

..Joe

[–] HAL 9010 (904) 3 years ago

There is a line earlier in the movie that says: "a man needs a gun and a horse"... so, since he had his gun, it was time to be a man, I guess?