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Popular Culture Review
For a time it appears as though Innisfree’s endless productive cycle is in
danger, as Sean remains thickheaded throughout the body of the movie. Of
course he finally comes to his senses and realizes that he must publicly show his
love for Mary Kate and try to get the dowry from Will Danaher. He must first
retrieve Mary Kate from the train station; believing he thinks her worthless, she
has left him for parts unknown. Upon arriving at the station, Sean, who has for
the most part been a model of decorum throughout the movie, forcibly pulls Mary
Kate out of the train car and then literally drags, kicks, and pushes her five miles
across the countryside to her brother’s farm with half the county in tow, cheering
him on. For contemporary viewers, familiar as we are with the damage caused by
abusive relationships, it’s somewhat unnerving to watch Mary Kate take this
abuse, but even more so when we see her smiling all the while. As uncomfortable
as it makes us, it nevertheless fits within the context of the film: Sean has publicly
shown that he wants her love and that he’ll fight for it; she is indeed worth
something.
Upon arriving at the Danaher farm, Sean throws Mary Kate at Will,
essentially giving her back, saying, “no dowry, no marriage.” Faced with these
terms, Danaher has no choice but to give Sean the money, which he does. Mary
Kate and Sean promptly walk over to a burning furnace, which recalls Sean’s
time spent in the Pittsburgh steel mills. Mary Kate opens the door and Sean
throws the money in. Mary Kate shuts the door on the money and, symbolically,
on Sean’s remaining connections to American industrialism. He has been
cleansed, and, as such, he can now join in full the agrarian community of
Innisfree. Mary Kate turns her head and walks away, shoulders out and head held
high in pride, saying that dinner will &Rv