The Day The Cowboys Quit Character Analysis

The Day the Cowboys Quit by Elmer Kelton is a historical fiction novel detailing the Great Cowboy Strike of 1883. The main character, Hitch, finds himself stuck between the striking cowboys and the rich owners of the cattle ranches. Set just two decades after the civil war, barbed wire and the idea of trespassing came about in the plains. The big cattle companies began to take losses when the end of free grazing came, so the cowboys’ meager pay is not raised and their right to start their own small brand is eventually taken away. Charlie Waide, the only non corrupt owner of W cows is under the thumb of Selkirk, the owner of Figure 4 because of a loan. Hitch chooses to side with the cowboys in an successful strike. They all lose their job,
Her character highlights the important roles of women in the “Wild West” and breaks their dainty image. Pages 27-28 describe her early life where her mother became the sole supporter as she picked up jobs in housekeeping after the death of both her father and his failing ranch. Kate quite literally lives in a pile of dirt, as it is considered an improvement. On page 147, Kate is feeding chickens, horses, and milking cows before her chores are interrupted by an unconscious husband. She’s expected to maintain everything at home while her husband is off stealing cattle, striking, and having multiple run ins with the law. Throughout the majority of the novel, she’s pregnant
Anne Catherine Bernard served as a teacher and secretary before she noticed the widespread poverty in Oklahoma City. She ran in 1906 and was elected as Oklahoma’s commissioner. Her time in office was spent trying to regulate child labor, better the conditions in Oklahoma’s prisons, and pushing for mandatory education for all children. (Crawford & Musselwhite, Kate Barnard, Progressivism, and the West). Her second term was unsuccessful as her budget was dramatically cut after she turned her attention towards Indians. Although her position was virtually nonexistent after she left office from her two short terms, she is hailed as one of the most effective social reformer and set the precedent for many women politicians ahead (Crawford & Musselwhite, Kate Barnard, Progressivism, and the