First published in 1977, Robert Day’s “The last cattle drive” follows the humorous adventure of Spangler Star Tukle, a fictitious Kansas University graduate who accepted a teaching job in a small town in Kansas. In order to earn extra cash, Tukle decided to take a second job by working for a rancher. When the rancher finally decided to drive his 250 cattle herd across Kansas City in order to save shipping costs, this is where Tukle’s adventure begins (Day).
Tailored after Mark Twain’s “The adventures of Huckelberry Finn,” Day’s approach in “The last cattle drive” is reminiscent of the cowboys from the past. Day managed to inculcate within his storytelling the rich and vibrant life of the old west, when everything appears as if there is an overlap with irreverence and order. One of the notable samples for such perspective is the cattle driving itself, when in fact the herd can be shipped. Other than this, Day’s main character, Spangler Tukle is one man who has in him the capability to break the rules but still emerged as a hero in his own right
The most poignant thing about the book is that it allows the readers to traverse in the history of the past. It provides a ground for its audience to imagine themselves as people during the time when cowboy boots and hats are very much appreciated; it gives the audience the opportunity to feel the experiences of their forefathers. Likewise, it envisions the values associated with the stalwart settlers.
Day’s sense of humor and comedic visions radiated within the book. Most importantly “The last cattle drive” posits a challenge for its readers because it leaves a lot of question about the things from the past, specifically the west, the cowboys and the cattle driving activity as a whole.
Works cited
Day, Robert. The last cattle drive. Kansas: University Press of Kansas, 1977.
