Previous
Chapter 27
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Little Britches, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Fathers, Sons, and Growing Up
Honesty and Pride
Work and Society
Community, Resources, and Conflict
Home and the American West
Summary
Analysis
Per Hi’s instructions, Ralph continues to train with Sky High during the summer hay season. Towards the end of June, Hi returns from the mountain ranch to practice for the Fourth of July fair. He and Ralph ride together for several days, and then they all go to the fair. Hi wins first prize in bronco busting and then Ralph—Little Britches—is called by surprise to do matched pair riding (when two riders perform tricks together) with Hi. He is nervous, and Hi does most of the work, but when he raises his hat at the end the crowd goes wild. Afterward, Ralph follows Hi and the other men to the Monahans’ saloon.
At the fair, Hi reveals the true extent of his confidence in Ralph’s riding abilities, signing him up for matched pair riding without giving Ralph prior notice. This shows a tremendous degree of trust in Ralph, as such a scheme, with an inexperienced rider, could lead to disaster and public embarrassment. Despite shock, however, Ralph performs admirably, marking his first foray into the public performance sphere.
Themes
Imagining his mother’s disapproval, Ralph feels guilty about being at the saloon. To distract himself, he tells Hi about the diving trick he used to perform on Fanny. When they return to the ranch, the men demand that he do it. Ralph regrets bragging, realizing how rusty he is at the trick, but Hi helps him do it without getting hurt. From then until August, Ralph does not always follow his father’s advice to give the man paying you a good day’s work, often practicing dangerous and elaborate stunts with Hi for hours on end.
Ralph’s father’s concerns about corrupting influences at the Cooper ranch proves valid, as Ralph begins to make his own choices about how to spend his time at work—and he doesn’t do much work. Still, Ralph’s parent’s teachings loom large, and Ralph, though by no means a perfect, never truly jeopardizes his moral integrity. This illustrates the effectiveness of Ralph’s parents’ parenting, as even after living apart, their voices remain influential on Ralph.
Themes
Ralph is nervous to tell his father about his new tricks and his plan to ride in the Labor Day roundup. He remembers what his father said about being sneaky, however, and tells him the first Saturday night after July 4. Ralph’s mother does not want him to ride, but his father does—or at least seems to. He signs Ralph’s waiver, telling him to ride to Mr. Cooper’s that night in case Hi wants to get an early start. When Ralph arrives at Mr. Cooper’s, the men surprise him with a Sears Roebuck package containing new chaps, a new hat, new boots, and a new shirt. Ralph is so excited he has trouble falling asleep.
Though apprehensive about Ralph’s participation in the Labor Day Roundup, Ralph’s father ultimately allows him to participate, signaling his embrace of Ralph’s newfound independence. Despite his wife’s reservations, he seems to harbor a secret desire to see Ralph succeed. The cowboys at Cooper’s ranch show Ralph more open support, generously gifting him his own set of cowboy clothes. This illustrates the positive impact Ralph has had on the ranch, and the widespread support he has gained in the process.
Themes
Hi takes Ralph to Littleton early Labor Day morning so Sky High has time to adjust to the town noises. At 11:00, they meet Ralph’s whole family at the hotel steps, and Ralph is nervous about what his mother will think of the tricks. Ralph and Hi perform last, and though Ralph is nervous at first, he quickly forgets about the crowd. They perform flawlessly, and Ralph even manages to keep his hat on during their final dive trick. Ralph’s father shakes his hand at the end and the judges announce Ralph and Hi as winners, awarding them gold watches. Ralph’s mother cries and they all get ice-cream sodas after.
The culmination of countless hours of effort, Ralph’s victory at the Labor Day Roundup is pivotal moment, affirming his talent as a rider and precipitating a shift in his relationship to his parents. Despite their initial reservations about his trick riding, his stellar performance convinces them to endorse his participation in such events. Even Ralph’s mother, initially the most resistant to Ralph’s adoption of the cowboy lifestyle, expresses immense pride at his victory, signaling her acceptance and embrace of Ralph’s chosen path in life.
Themes
Get the entire Little Britches LitChart as a printable PDF.
