Riders of the Purple Sage

Riders of the Purple Sage takes place in Southern Utah during a point in history when members of the Mormon faith were still the majority of settlers in the area. Members of the Mormon faith began moving into Utah in 1847, shortly after the death of their founder, John Smith. The novel opens in 1871, just 24 years later. As a result, the communities of Utah are still primarily made up of members of the Mormon faith in the novel. As the daughter of the man who founded the original settlement at Cottonwoods, Jane Withersteen lives with many great expectations. As a single, Mormon woman, she is expected to marry a Mormon man. However, Jane is sympathetic to the non-Mormon people in the area and has gone out of her way to help them. She has even engaged in a relationship with Bern Venters, a non-Mormon man. Mormon leaders disapprove and wage war on Jane to convince her to marry Mormon man and church leader, Elder Tull.

Throughout the novel, Jane is told to behave in ways that her community believes are more suited to her position as a Mormon woman. Bishop Dyer visits Jane and orders her to marry Elder Tull. The wives of a prominent Mormon man tell Jane that resisting Tull is inappropriate for a Mormon woman. In her own home, Jane loses the trust and employ of her Mormon workers because Elder Tull and Bishop Dyer threaten them for supporting Jane. This dominance by the male members of Jane’s church place her in danger as Tull pays Oldring to steal Jane’s horses and cattle until she agrees to marry him. Other Mormon men also contribute to Jane’s endangerment, as Tull employs them to provoke Jane’s cattle to stampede.

Jane was also dominated by her father when he was alive, aware of his dark actions against women and unable to do anything about it. Jane’s father acted in the name of the church, but his actions resulted in Milly being stolen from her home, forced to give birth, and her child abducted from her. Jane lives with these secrets, befriending non-Mormon people to come out from under the dominance of her father.

Jane Withersteen is in a unique position as a wealthy landowner. Her land provides Jane with the means to run her own business and to choose the man she wants to marry. However, due to the actions of the leaders of the Mormon faith, Jane finds herself dependent on two non-Mormon riders and a gunslinger. Once again, Jane is dominated by Lassiter, Venters, and Judkins, but the difference between these men and her male Mormon leaders is that Lassiter, Venters, and Judkins have Jane’s best interests in mind. Jane doesn’t always agree with Lassiter’s actions, and this leads him to dominating her in order to get his way, but Lassiter’s motives are inspired by his love for Jane while the Mormon leaders are motivated by their desire to own Jane’s property and gold, and consequently, Jane herself.