Half Broke Horses

Lily gets her joie de vivre from her father, who she calls “Dad.” He spent time in prison when he was accused of murder and was released just before she was born. As a father, he took care of his family and his farm, while constantly developing money-making schemes to make their lives easier. Sadly, these schemes never worked, but he kept thinking. His wise words guided Lily’s life as she learned how to live on a ranch, break horses, and take care of herself by listening to and watching her Dad. There were no surprises with Dad; he truly walked his talk. He understood the power of nature, but he continued to fight for his and his family’s success despite his temper getting in the way. His influence on Lily, combined with her difficult relationship with her mother, goes some way to explaining why she so often rejected stereotypically ‘feminine’ behavior. 

Lily’s younger sister was nothing like Lily. Helen was a weak girl who became a weak woman. Lily saves her sister’s life in the opening pages of the book, but Lily cannot save her from her own mistakes. Like her mother, Helen relies on other people and lets life happen to her. Bravely, she does go to Los Angeles to try to get into movies, but she goes about it the wrong way. Helen relies on the power of men and the charms of her feminine body. Eventually, she becomes pregnant by one of those powerful men; he then abandons her. Unable to care for herself, she moves to Arizona so Lily can take care of her. Once the town realizes that Helen is pregnant and unwed, Helen finds herself in dire straits and ends up committing suicide. This is one of the few times that she takes control of her own life and the extremity of her decision points to the power of social prejudice at that time. It also suggests the degree to which women’s sexuality was policed by men and the different standards by which men and women’s sexual activity outside of marriage was judged. 

This patient and rock solid man is exactly who Lily needed in her adult life. Significantly, he shows up when Lily falls off Red Devil and he continues to help her up every time she falls. He is older than Lily, which makes sense, since she is wise beyond her years. He courts Lily, but in the end, she proposes to him. Jim is a true partner to Lily, as is evident in the way they raise their children together and care for the ranch, too. His kindness and devotion to Lily show when they are living in Phoenix and she thinks he is cheating on her. Instead of being upset by her suspicion, he confidently and convincingly analyzes the situation, reassures her that he is not cheating, and suggests that they move out of the city.

Jim’s caring nature extends beyond people. He is brilliant with animals, especially livestock. He develops a reputation for caring for livestock and his skills enable the family to escape life in the big city. Jim is an anchor who helps Lily to live her fascinating adult life.