Little Britches Themes

Little Britches is centered around the relationship between Ralph and his father. As Ralph admits in the opening lines of the book, he does not know his father very well before moving to Colorado. In New Hampshire, his father worked at the local wood mill, keeping him away from home and making him sick. At their ranch in Colorado, however, Ralph and father work side by side every day to make ends meet for…

Ralph’s father in Little Britches is a proud man of upstanding moral character. Despite arriving in Colorado with hardly any money or supplies, he refuses charity from his neighbors, preferring to earn his livelihood with hard work. He believes that God intended for humans to work for their livelihood and teaches Ralph to always give his employer a “full day’s work.” Throughout the story, Ralph’s father practices what he preaches, working hard to protect and…

In Little Britches, community is essential to survival. In a world where resources are scarce and fortunes can change overnight, ranchers must rely on one another to make ends meet. When Ralph and his family first arrive in Colorado, for instance, their neighbor Fred Aultland immediately shows them immense generosity. He lends them water for their crops, helps Ralph herd cows, and shelters them in his house after theirs is damaged in a storm…

Originally from the American Northeast, Ralph and his family have trouble adjusting to life out West. Colorado is quite different from their old home in New Hampshire, and many things they take for granted seem strange to those around them, and vice versa. Their first time at church, for instance, Ralph and his brothers learn so many curse words from the local boys that their mother begins holding Sunday service at home. Similarly, Ralph’s Brown…