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
Augustus McCrae—known as Gus—is a former Texas Ranger who owns half of the Hat Creek Cattle Company. His partner is Woodrow, who goes by Call. Their operation lies just outside the small town of Lonesome Dove, Texas. When the novel begins, Gus is watching two pigs eat a rattlesnake as he drinks heavily.
Call returns from work with a man named Pea Eye. Call is short but seems tall to everyone. Pea Eye is tall, awkward, and slow in thought. Call is mad because a mare they call the “Hell Bitch” bit him (10). She is the finest horse Call has ever seen, and he is determined to tame her.
A teenager named Newt arrives shortly after. Newt looks up to the men, and he wishes Call would let him carry a gun. He wants to raid the border with them when they take horses from Mexico. As they eat, Gus teases everyone, but he focuses most of his attention on Call, taking great delight in harassing him about the horse bite.
After dinner, Call walks along the river, scouting out of habit, even though he knows there are no enemies nearby. He recalls fighting the Comanches with Gus when they were working to settle the frontier.
By Larry Mcmurtry