The cowboys in Lonesome Dove have a good sense of direction. They can navigate from the south of Texas all the way to Montana without needing to consult their GPS. These cowboys also seem have a good sense of moral direction—most of them, anyway. They have an unwritten code of honor they go by, even if it mostly boils down to one rule: don't steal horses. But when horses aren't involved, our heroes still seem to shoot straight and true.
Questions About Principles
- Is there a difference between a cowboy's moral principles and the laws of the time?
- Does Jake Spoon have any principles at all?
- If you were to write down a cowboy code of ethics, what points would it contain?