The Wolf and the Buffalo
Throughout history mankind has had many social and racial inequalities. Sometimes it's these inequalities that help motivate people to do certain things. In The Wolf and the Buffalo Kelton illustrates the social inequalities that existed in post Civil War Texas and between black and white soldiers and the blacks and whites against the Indians. Kelton also ties in the motives for people interacting with one another in the way that they do. Many characters in the book were motivated differently to do the things they did. However in the case of Gideon his motives changed a few times throughout the book. At first he was just saving up for a farm of his own, and then when he met Hannah she became his motivation. When she leaves his motivation temporarily checks out too. "It don't matter. Everything I was savin' it for is gone" (210). He doesn't even care that Finley had stolen all of his money that he was saving for his farm because Hannah was out of his life. When the troops get lost in the desert and it looks like they will all die even Hollander loses his motivation to keep looking for water. "Hollander extended his silver watch....he managed a few clear words. "Wife. Give to my wife and baby."....Gideon replies,
""And a man who would associate himself with black soldiers obviously had no ambition at all"" (74). Nettles' interaction with Gideon was very unique. "But of stronger immediate interest to a revenge-minded Reconstruction Congress had been the opportunity to humiliate the defeated South by occupying it with black troops, giving the slave authority over the master" (68). He'd of said you always done right"" (369). Seeing the motivation behind the characters also makes it easier to understand why certain things took place and why the characters did the things they did and how they attempted to overcome the inequalities of the time. Hollander's interaction with black soldiers even cost him a potential wife. Gideon thought twice before complementing the man he once hated so bitterly but he saw him for what he was. His love's father drew the line for Hollander and he chose to lose his love by staying in the black regiment. I've tried to see how much you could take. He later found out that Nettles was pushing him to become a good soldier. He hated it; he'd of given anything in the world if he could have changed his color to white"" (272). and walked up to the man with a dry and dangerous smile set like concrete. He is a chief, more than likely"" (120). "As Hollander came abreast of him the man shouted, "Say, Captain, why didn't you do us all a favor and leave the rest of them damned niggers out there?". They wasn't a one of them black"" (232).
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