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Chapter 60
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
Augustus and Lorena start heading east to meet up with the herd, but they’re slowed by rain. It’s so bad that Augustus decides to seek shelter at an abandoned fort called Adobe Walls. There, they find a box of buttons, and they pass the rainy days playing poker and using the buttons as money. Gus patiently waits out Lorena’s silence, which ends as they start playing cards. Slowly, life comes back into her eyes, even though she still easily frightened and easily moved to tears. When the rains end, Augustus insists they leave—there are still renegades in the area who also use the fort for shelter, occasionally.
Like so many other things in life and on this trip, Gus couldn’t have predicted the punishing rain. But he takes it in stride. And, true to form, he shows readers how to live a good life by finding a way to make the best of an uncomfortable situation. Gambling was one of the few things that Lorena seemed to truly enjoy in Lonesome Dove, and here, even in the aftermath of her traumatic kidnapping, the pleasure of a game starts to tempt her back toward the land of the living.
Themes
That afternoon, Gus and Lorie crest a ridge and see four gigantic herds of cattle spread out below, waiting to cross the Canadian River. The nearest herd belongs to no other man than Wilbarger, who greets Augustus with surprise when they ride up. Wilbarger offers them a tent and some grub, which he brings to them himself when it turns out that Lorena is too shy to approach the men in his camp. That evening over whiskey, Wilbarger and Augustus chat about the drive, and Blue Duck, and July Johnson. Augustus tells Wilbarger that Johnson lost his whole crew to Blue Duck. When Wilbarger leaves, he tells Augustus to leave the tent for him in Denver, if he makes it that far. In the morning, before his herd crosses, he sends his cook to bring Lorena and Gus breakfast.
The book again gives readers the sense that, despite the great physical distances it encompassed, the West was a small world given the difficulties of life there. Only a certain class of people can survive and thrive under these difficult circumstances, and the bonds they form are key to their survival. Wilbarger repays Gus's earlier kindnesses with a tent, some food, and the thing that Gus has missed the most since he left the cattle drive: the pleasure of a sharp and witty conversationalist. These acts of generosity are key to survival in the West; it’s Wilbarger’s turn to offer favors today, but he might be in need of them himself again tomorrow.
Themes
Augustus and Lorena cross the river, too, while the weather is nice, and set up the tent on the other side. Then Gus strips down and bathes in the river, encouraging Lorena to do the same. It feels good to wash, but the sight of her own body makes Lorena weep.
Lorena’s willingness to bathe shows that she’s coming back to life and starting to take an interest in things once more. But her tears remind readers of the brutality she suffered and suggest that she will never be the same.
Themes
