The Code of the West ín Louis L'Amour Novels
Examples of Cowboy Character and Ethics
The cowboys of the Old West were independent men of honor who brought civilized behavior to an untamed land. They faced off against evil with honor.
L'Amour's books bring the spirit of these men to life. The author's main characters exemplify several of the unwritten rules of conduct contained in the Cowboy Code.
Cowboys Endure Hardship
A cowboy was expected to persevere even when things got rough. L'Amour's heroes look out for themselves, fighting their own battles to achieve their goals.
Val Durrant is a young man raised by gentleman gambler Will Reilly in L'Amour's book Reilly's Luck. After Will is gunned down, Val hunts for the killers and is himself hunted by them and his evil mother, who had sent him out into the winter night as a boy to die. He is beaten and robbed by unknown men, yet finds work salvaging goods from a sunken boat. Despite opposition the venture is successful and Val presses on.
In L'Amour's novel Tucker, Shell Tucker has a similar experience. He and his father are traveling with thousands of dollars they have made on a cattle drive when they have an argument. Shell storms off, but his father is injured while he is gone and the horse carrying the money wanders off. The horse is discovered by some bandits and the money is stolen. Shell pursues the robbers throughout the West, even after being shot and seriously wounded by them. He gives them no peace.
Tom Chantry is an Easterner who comes to the West to buy cattle and has to battle for survival in L'Amour's North to the Rails. After an altercation with a cowboy that damages Chantry's reputation, he hires French Williams to drive cattle he has purchased to market from him and Lee Dauber to market. Williams is a competent but ruthless man. He drives a hard bargain with Chantry in which Chantry has to agree to come along on the drive and make it to the end. If he doesn't, Williams gets the entire herd. Despite persecution because of his reputation, and harassment by Williams, cowpunchers, Indians and outlaws, Chantry goes about getting himself and his cattle to the railhead and back East..
In L'Amour's book The Mountain Valley War Lance Kilkenny is a well-known gunfighter seeking a new life up in the high country. Going by the name of Trent to hide his identity, he runs afoul of King Bill Hale, a rich and prominent man who desires the high country for himself despite owning much of the local range and being the ruler of the nearest town. Hale launches a war against Kilkenny and his fellow settlers. Cut off from supplies, the men must travel through hostile desert country to obtain them, all the while battling Hale's numerous gunmen. Despite the impossible odds, Kilkenny and his fellows push on to maintain their legal rights and their property.
Cowboys Act With Courage
North to the Rails opens with Tom Chantry having tangled with cowboy Dutch Akin. The two men were at the bar in a saloon when the drunken cowboy roughly demanded that Chantry drink with him. Chantry refused. Akin became more heated and was thrown to the floor when Chantry shook off his grasp. Akin drew his gun, but the unarmed Chantry was rescued by Mr. Sparrow, the cattle dealer Chantry had come to the saloon to meet. But Akin challenges Chantry to a duel, to be engaged in the next morning.
Chantry is ready to dismiss the whole affair, but Sparrow warns him that in the West there is a code of virtue. If he is deemed to lack courage, then Chantry will have a difficult time doing business. Chantry decides, however, that the entire situation has been blown out of proportion and rides out of town before he has to meet Akin.
Sparrow's warning proves true. While in another saloon looking for cattle, owner Henry Lambert tells Chantry that his reputation has preceded him. Even if he can find the herd, men will not want to work for a coward on a rough cattle drive. But he approaches the shrewd French Williams, and also buys the herd of Lee Dauber. The latter sells to Chantry despite his misgivings about his courage.
As the cattle drive progesses, Chantry proves his courage in many ways. He strongly contends with French Williams, fights and beats a bullying cowhand, and survives several attempts on his life. The men who had previously suspected him begin to believe in Chantry's character. Chantry also sees himself in a new light.
Conclusion
Louis L'Amour's cowboys characters show their respect for the unwritten Code of the West in many ways.They handled hardship with grace and were brave in adversity. Cowboys also possessed many other traits. Two more characteristics exhibited by L'Amour's characters will be discussed in Part 2.
Louis L'Amour
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