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Motifs

Journey

The journey motif found in Unforgiven is common in both film and literature: as the characters make a physical journey (in this case, from Will's farm to the town and eventually to San Francisco), they also make an emotional and psychological journey.

Will journeys from his new life on the farm with his children to Big Whiskey and his old lifestyle. In the end, Will falls into the patterns that characterized his life before he met his wife, becoming a killer once more. Ned points out as they are traveling that even though there is a good cause in this case, Will would never think about killing another man if Claudia, his wife, were still alive. However, since she is dead, Will returns to his roots and to the murderous ways for which he was known in the past. However, after his assassin work is done, he does return to...
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