A critical beginning for discussion, and an obvious one, is the harshness of life in the West of the 1870s, and its effect on the people in the novel. It's worth noting that the characters react differently to their environment than in The Last Picture Show, where people are constrained by their environment in both novels, the characters in Lonesome Dove rise to their several occasions, like Gus with Lorena, Pea Eye after Blue Duck's attack, or Newt as he grows up along the trip.

1. How does the author portray the characters of Call, Gus, and Blue Duck? What techniques does he use to show us what they are like?

2. How do the characters for example, Lorena Wood, or Gus manage to survive the incredible hardships they face? What does the author give the reader to explain the hardiness of some of the characters? How do...