Jasper Fant Character Analysis in Lonesome Dove

Jasper Fant is an experienced cowhand hired by Call to join the drive. A fearful man, Jasper is especially afraid of drowning on one of the many river crossings, and so he fashions rude floats for his horse out of old barrels. He becomes scared of grizzly bears and also beavers after he has alarming encounters with one of each in Montana. Nevertheless, he makes it all the way north safely and he stays on as a ranch hand.

Jasper Fant Character Timeline in Lonesome Dove

The timeline below shows where the character Jasper Fant appears in Lonesome Dove. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

In the saloon, Dish finds Lorena, local cowhand Jasper Fant, and Xavier Wanz waiting for a fourth person so they can start a card... (full context)

...tried to steal back the horses because Pedro Flores is dead—word just reached Augustus via Jasper Fant. This news hits Call like a blow to the stomach. It seemed like Pedro... (full context)

...to Call while they’re frying bacon for breakfast. When the night shift—Newt, Pea, Dish, and Jasper—rides in, they’ve picked up an additional hand. Soupy Jones is another former Ranger who was... (full context)

...wagon, planning to ride back into town to retrieve his sign and his sourdough starter. Jasper—who is afraid that he will drown in a river—asks him for jugs, if he can... (full context)

...company makes their way slowly toward the river. Many of the cowhands, including Newt and Jasper, dread the crossing, but soon the mosquitos have made them so miserable they’re ready to... (full context)

...no one can talk about anything but all the deaths they’ve seen or heard about. Jasper nearly goes out of his mind with fear, while the other hands become irritable. Fortunately,... (full context)

...with molasses. Deets is the first man willing to try them and soon everybody except Jasper and Augustus have enjoyed a few. Augustus refuses on principle (he’s still sore over Po... (full context)

The crew crosses the Republican River without any incident. Jasper, who has been so fearful of this crossing since the trip started, now considers himself... (full context)

...Platte River near Ogallala, and as soon as the cattle are settled, Dish, Soupy, Bert, Jasper, Needle, and Allen go running into town. Augustus is disappointed when he follows them, because... (full context)

When Soupy, Bert, Jasper, Needle—all the worse for wear—drag themselves back to camp in the morning, Newt, Ben, Jimmy,... (full context)

...Duck killed, and whose graves he so long ago abandoned. The men, especially Lippy and Jasper, are worried about running into Indigenous people this deep into Indian Territory, but the more... (full context)

The men—especially Jasper—get more nervous about crossing the Yellowstone the closer they get to it. Lippy longs for... (full context)

...cattle drive, he becomes the company’s resident chatterbox. When the crew crosses the Missouri River, Jasper Fant finally comes close to drowning when a beaver scares his horse and it throws... (full context)