74 pages • 2 hours read
Larry McmurtryA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Summary
Background
Part 1, Chapters 1-5
Part 1, Chapters 6-10
Part 1, Chapters 11-15
Part 1, Chapters 16-20
Part 1, Chapters 21-25
Part 2, Chapters 26-30
Part 2, Chapters 31-35
Part 2, Chapters 36-40
Part 2, Chapters 41-45
Part 2, Chapters 46-50
Part 2, Chapters 51-55
Part 2, Chapters 56-60
Part 2, Chapters 61-65
Part 2, Chapters 66-70
Part 2, Chapters 71-74
Part 3, Chapters 75-80
Part 3, Chapters 81-85
Part 3, Chapters 86-90
Part 3, Chapters 91-95
Part 3, Chapters 96-102
Character Analysis
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
“Looking at her, though, was like looking at the hills. The hills stayed as they were. You could go to them, if you had the means, but they extended no greeting.”
Lorena treats Dish the way she treats every man with the exceptions of Gus and Jake. She is indifferent like the mountains, but she is also approachable to nearly anyone with money. She does not single Dish out for aloofness, but categorizes him along with all men who buy her; she is willing to take his money, but will not pretend that she enjoys anything about it.
“There was nothing important to do in Lonesome Dove, but that didn’t mean there was enough time to keep up with the little things that needed doing.”
Call spends most of his life working to distract himself from unpleasant truths. He is uncomfortable when he does not have an obvious purpose to work towards. This is part of the reason why the drive to Montana intrigues him; he wants to see Montana and have an adventure, but he knows the drive will give him a purpose for many months.
“His purpose was to get done what needed to be done, and what needed to be done was simple, if not easy.”
From his days as a Ranger, Call is most content when the day is filled with tasks and chores. Whenever he knows what must be done, his world grows comfortingly small. Call knows that his life has been a disappointment and that he has disappointed others as well. Simplicity gives him a way to prove that he is useful. This need for simplicity is what often makes him feel alienated from other men and their constant talk of gambling and women, which are always complicating factors, in his view.
By Larry Mcmurtry