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Chapter 13
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Lonesome Dove, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
American Mythology
Family
Luck, Fate, and Chance
The Good Life
The Meaning of Masculinity
Feminine Strength
Summary
Analysis
Jake Spoon returns in the afternoon to find Augustus on the porch swigging whiskey. He refuses to bite when the older man starts teasing him about Lorena. Jake drinks nervously. He regrets putting the idea of the cattle drive into Call’s head. He doesn’t like either of his options: risk getting scalped on the way to Montana or risk the Arkansas authorities catching up with him in Texas. And he worries that Lorena will eventually expect him to follow through on his San Francisco promise. Jake gets frustrated when women overvalue talk.
In case readers harbored any faith in Jake’s feelings toward Lorena, the book immediately makes it clear that he is just as shallow and selfish as he appears to be. His talk is just talk, designed to get him into her good graces and into her bed. He is indeed lazy and selfish, uninterested in working hard or exposing himself to any danger. He is, in other words, the antithesis of both Gus and Call, a foil that shows them in an even better light.
Themes
It’s late in the day. Augustus wakes Sean and Allen and tells Jake to get ready to guard the horses. Allen and Sean are willing to help, but have no experience with horses or guns. After Gus give them a few basic pointers, Sean asks if he should inquire about his adversaries’ names before shooting them. Augustus says no. Deciding to pen up the better horses in town—where Pedro Flores won’t risk open confrontation—Augustus sends Dish and Deets to guard them. He, Sean, Allen, Newt, and Jake will ride around all night with the rest of the herd, keeping it out of Flores’s hands (hopefully) by keeping it on the move.
Sean betrays an endearing—and dangerous—innocence in his question about asking for the names of his potential attackers. This world, Gus suggests, is one driven by a kill-or-be-killed mentality. Showing humanity can cost a person their life. Readers have just seen how much Jake enjoys the good life. Gus knows this, and he rebukes Jake quietly but effectively by assigning him to the harder job—and the one that will deny him the pleasure of Lorena’s company for the evening.
Themes
Jake refuses to look out for Sean and Allen, asking Augustus to send Newt over to ride with him. Newt is thrilled that his hero asked for him specially. This gives Augustus pause—he worries that Jake won’t be able to live up to the boy’s expectations. But there’s nothing, really, that he can do about it. Within a few minutes, he gives the order, and they ride north.
Gus understands Jake’s character, but Newt doesn’t. Notably, however, Gus isn’t concerned that Jake will manipulate Newt so much as show his true colors and leave the boy disheartened and disappointed. Fortunately, Newt has other people watching out—and setting better examples—for him.
Themes
