Father and I Were Ranchers

Content Warning: The guide section includes offensive language about Indigenous Americans in quoted material from the source text.

“As we came near, it looked less like a dollhouse and more like just what it was: a little three room cottage that had been hauled out from Denver. […] But it was going to be our ranch—it looked all right to me.”

The description of the Moody family’s new home as a “little three-room cottage” resembling a “dollhouse” captures Ralph’s youthful optimism and sense of adventure. The modest imagery conveys both the family’s humble circumstances and the resilience needed to settle in Colorado. Ralph’s statement, “it looked all right to me,” reflects his readiness to embrace this new life.

“Mr. Autland held his hand out to me. I tried to take hold of it as father did, but it was too big, and I only got hold of three fingers.”

This imagery highlights Ralph’s youthful inexperience and admiration for figures like Mr. Autland. His attempt to shake hands “as father did” but only grasping “three fingers” reveals his desire to emulate adults and highlights his smallness and journey toward maturity. The contrast between their hands symbolizes Ralph’s growth ahead.

“I guess I’d made up too many stories before. Grace didn’t believe me.”

This line uses irony and character insight to reveal Ralph’s struggle with trust and honesty. His admission that “Grace didn’t believe me” acknowledges the consequences of his previous exaggerations, highlighting a moment of self-awareness. This passage subtly illustrates Ralph’s growing understanding of The Importance of Self-Reliance and Integrity and foreshadows his journey toward responsibility.