on jokers." Yet, Kelton doesn't confine imagery to Joey alone; about Hull again, the narrator describes the outlaw retreating "like a porcupine rolling up into a ball with its bristles out."

The very title, Cloudy in the West, encapsulates the dominant imagery coursing through the novel. To Joey and Beau, the West symbolizes a romantic realm of liberation, an escape from the relentless toil and troubles plaguing them in East Texas. However, their encounter with this mythical land and its storied characters reveals stark realities. Beau realizes, "It's Cloudy in the West and fixin' to rain misery."

The novel unfolds in a circular form, an unconventional choice for a narrative centered on a journey to maturity. However, Kelton's theme transcends the straightforward coming-of-age arc of a boy traveling from one place to another, evolving along the way. Joey is ensnared by romantic idealism, believing that the path to maturity lies somewhere "west"—a physical destination and a metaphorical landscape—where he can escape his domestic woes. Yet, Kelton reveals that true maturity demands recognizing that every place, even the West, is shrouded with challenges. These clouds cannot be simply escaped by moving to new locations; internal illusions and immaturity must also dissipate. Though Joey could have faced his metaphorical clouds at Fort Stockton with Alister Mclntosh, his roots trace back to where his father imparted his earliest life lessons. The paradox of seeking maturity through venturing into new frontiers is that the further you journey from your origins, the more you need the inherent strength they provide. Joey’s fascination with the West leads him farther from what he cherished, yet through this dual journey westward and into his own heart, he learns to confront and address life's genuine problems by returning home.

One of the most striking examples of the novel's circular form is Joey's encounter with the notorious Jersey bull. In the first chapter, the bull nearly claims his life; in the final chapter, Chapter 17, Joey boldly ventures into the pasture to confront the beast once more. As the bull charges, the young man stands firm, smiting it with a poker and shouting, "Hyahh! Git, you son of a bitch." The bull obeys. When Beau, amused, teases Joey as "boy" for his language, Joey retorts, "And don't you know it's time you quit callin' me boy?"

In a literary landscape filled with stories for and about young people that often embrace a forgiving view of human actions and characters, Kelton dares to present a narrative where stark and unyielding judgments of individuals and life itself are crucial. Cloudy in the West offers a vivid portrayal of the severe, demanding, and sometimes savage conditions that reigned over Texas in 1885. Surviving in such an unforgiving environment, unless one had the shelter of wealth or power, meant grappling daily with the relentless challenges of drought, extreme temperatures, illness, pestilence, and the ferocity of both animals and humans. Kelton weaves the tale of a young boy striving to navigate this Darwinian battle for mere survival, let alone any semblance of grace or luxury. In this harsh setting, some traits of mind and character flourish, while others flounder.

The Lesson of Pragmatism

Joey Shipman discovers that youthful romanticism is a poor match for the formidable obstacles he faces. Success in such circumstances demands the ability to judge and act with clarity, unfettered by emotions, the opinions of others, or the ire of fate. As Joey matures, he hones his ability to make clear-headed decisions in tough situations. Growing up on a ranch in West Texas may have stripped Kelton of any sentimental illusions about rural life. Joey, serving as the novel's moral compass, guides the reader much like a chorus in Greek drama, interpreting what behavior is permissible given the era's harsh realities. Beau's drunkenness often renders him useless in a society where every ounce of effort is needed to uplift the community's welfare. Unable to carry his own weight, he becomes a burden to those striving with all their might. Although Beau is a diligent worker and an admirable person when sober, his drunken state renders him ineffective. Sheriff Gardner of Bastrop, after years of dealing with Beau, remarks, "His mama ought to've drowned him when he was a baby." Indeed, Beau seems intent on drowning himself in alcohol. Despite his own need for assistance due to youth and inexperience, Joey resents the responsibility of caring for his ineffectual cousin and frequently contemplates abandoning Beau to go it alone. Yet, family ties bind him, and Joey knows the sting of solitude. He employs every tactic at his disposal to keep Beau from liquor, and ultimately, Beau sobers up, realizing the gravity of life demands a clear mind.

Pragmatic Interactions with Nature

Joey does not romanticize the animals he encounters. He shows respect to Old Taw, his aged and ailing horse, because Taw was his father's and has served the family well. Joey avoids overworking the horse, but when circumstances demand, he uses Taw to escape peril, treating him as a horse and not a cherished kin. On his journey to Bastrop, while resting near freight-wagon mules, Joey is not moved to affection by their toil or confinement but is annoyed by their snoring, which disrupts his sleep. He sees rattlesnakes and scorpions for what they are—threats to his survival—and eliminates them without hesitation. The old Jersey bull, a childhood nemesis of Joey's, inspires no sympathy when acting on its instincts to intimidate. Once Joey is physically capable, he confronts the bull with an iron poker, a testament to the raw immediacy of rural life in 1885 Texas.

Confronting Prejudice

Cloudy in the West tackles issues of racial and gender prejudice with unvarnished realism. Kelton, reflecting in My Kind of Heroes, says, "... I can use these novels to express my own feelings about prejudice and I try to do so without beating the reader over the head with them." Old Reuben, an elderly Black man considered family by the Shipmans, exhibits moral fortitude clear to Joey as it was to his father. However, Dulcie, needing to assert her superiority, condescends to Reuben, treating him as the slave he once was. Blair Meacham murders Reuben when the old man's loyalty to Joey threatens Meacham's plans. Joey wishes to inter his friend in the family plot beside his parents, but Dulcie opposes, insisting it is improper "to bury a black man inside, where white folks lay." Joey does not contest, reasoning that by Judgment Day, such earthly barriers will have long vanished.

Addressing Misogyny

Misogyny also finds its place in the narrative of Cloudy in the West. Dulcie, though not a likable figure, is more than a mere archetypal harsh stepmother. Her life's hardships are of her own making due to her abrasive nature. Her demise comes at the hands of Blair Meacham, the scoundrel she married and conspired with, rather than Joey, Beau, or local lawmen. Joey, opting to "bury her by Pa" in the family cemetery because he "won't fight her all the way to the cemetery," earns Alta's commendation as "a grownup way of lookin' at it." Joey's choice feels less like maturity and more like pragmatic reasoning.

In the novel, Alta stands as the sole prominent female figure, embodying a stalwart heroism that fortifies Joey's sense of security and reinforces the ideal of virtuous order in the rugged West. Introduced as a prostitute, she is brought from San Antonio into the outlaw camp by the sinister, narrow-featured Farlow. Although Beau is initially put off by Alta, as her presence stirs memories of his own mother's irresponsibility and reckless abandon, he soon discovers Alta is cut from a different cloth. Unlike others who might flee, she remains steadfastly by Beau's side after a venomous snake bites him, caring for him with dedication, likely saving his life with her unwavering attention.

Once Beau is ready to listen, Alta shares the harrowing tale of how she faced destitution and hunger, her thoughts consumed with survival when she stood at death's door. Beau, familiar with life's ruthless trials, recognizes the parallels between Alta's experiences and his own. Alta's character, inherently moral and resilient, earns Beau's respect. His decision to marry her stems not from a sentimental urge to redeem a 'fallen woman' but from a genuine admiration for the virtues that she embodies—virtues that transform her into a force of civilization amidst chaos.

Alta is described as a petite woman, not yet thirty, yet possessing the strength to "drag Beau up against the snubbing post." She challenges the prevailing notions of her time, asserting, "Most men think all a woman is good for is to cook and sew and go to bed with." For Beau, Alta transcends these expectations, emerging as a formidable ally—a strong friend who just so happens to be a woman.

The landscape of Kelton's thirty-five novels beckons to those captivated by the evocative settings and compelling themes akin to Cloudy in the West. As a masterful storyteller, Kelton deftly sidesteps the trite "Cowboy and Indian" stereotypes, offering instead a raw, unvarnished portrayal of life on the ranch. His narratives are as educational as they are entertaining, providing a window into the rugged realities of cowboy existence. Through his writing, Kelton channels a profound appreciation for classic values, frequently exploring the delicate dance between civility and its absence in the quest to forge independent lives amid minimal external aid.

Amidst his literary collection, novels such as The Day the Cowboys Quit (1971), The Time It Never Rained (1973), The Good Old Boys (1978), The Man Who Rode Midnight (1987), and The Pumpkin Rollers (1996) stand as towering achievements that showcase Kelton's narrative prowess at its finest.

Alder, Judy. Elmer Kelton and West Texas: A Literary Relationship. Denton, TX: University of North Texas Press, 1989. Alder champions Kelton as "an outstanding regional novelist," praising his profound understanding of both his thematic terrain and literary prowess. The book offers an excellent bibliography that covers both primary and secondary sources.

Clayton, Lawrence. Elmer Kelton. Boise: Boise State University, 1986. Dean Clayton, former president of the Texas Folklore Society, intricately depicts the life and literary journey of Kelton.

——. "Epic Qualities in Kelton's The Wolf and the Buffalo." RE: Artes Liberales 8, 2 (Spring 1982): 5-13. In this comparison to Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey, Clayton concludes that Kelton's novel "qualifies as a Western epic."

Davis, Kenneth. "Elmer Kelton." In Updating the Literary West. Edited by Max Westbrook and Dan Flores. Fort Worth: Texas Christian University Press, 1997, pp. 580-584.

Dingas, Anne. "The Good Old Boy." Texas Monthly 23 (December 1995): 80+. Dingas explores Kelton's narratives through the lens of his native environment, revealing the influence of his surroundings on his creations.

Erisman, Fred. "Elmer Kelton's 'Other' West." Western American Literature 28, 4 (Winter 1994): 291-299. Erisman paints Kelton's heroes as "homely, realistic denizens" who inhabit the authentic West, a stark contrast to the mythical figures often seen in Western lore.

Grover, Dorys. "Bowie's Mine: Legend into Fiction." RE: Artes Liberales 7, 2 (Spring 1981), 9-17. Grover delves into the lore and history surrounding Jim Bowie's legendary quest for Apache silver mines in the 1830s, setting the scene for Kelton's novel.

Hunt, Jerry. One Collector's Bibliography. [Privately printed], 1993. Hunt provides a comprehensive list of Kelton's literary accolades and pseudonyms, accompanied by an extensive bibliography. A "suggested reading" section offers insights into books Kelton himself has discussed, alongside references on Western novels.

Kelton, Elmer. "Bone Dry." Texas Monthly 24 (July 1996): 74-75+. Kelton vividly portrays the relentless drought's impact on farmers and ranchers, showcasing his deep-rooted connection to the challenges of Western ranch life.

——. Elmer Kelton Country: The Short Nonfiction of a Texas Novelist. Fort Worth, TX: Texas Christian University Press, 1993. This collection assembles Kelton's nonfiction talks and writings scattered across various newspapers and magazines, each piece illuminating the essence of Western life. Among the articles, "Snoring Mules" later finds a place in his work, Cloudy in the West.

——. "Fiction Writers Are Liars and Thieves." In The Bounty of Texas. Edited by Francis Abernethy. Denton: University of North Texas Press, 1990, pp. 50-62. Kelton reflects on how Western writers often weave tales by drawing from history and folklore, tailoring them to serve their narrative ambitions.

Smith, Rick. "'Elmerisms' capture West Texas' essence." Web Page: http://reporter news, com/ texas/ elmer 0504/ html. Smith compiles a collection of West Texas sayings or "Elmerisms" employed by Kelton, such as "Things just aren't like they used to be, and I don't know if they ever was" and "Price is no object, as long as it's not too high."

Talley Press, The. "Complete List of Books Written by Elmer Kelton." Web Page: http://www.talleypress.com/kelton/kellst.htm. This page is regularly refreshed with updates.

——. "About the Author-Elmer Kelton." Web Page: http://talleypress.com/kelton/kelbio.htm. Updated regularly.

Taylor, William. "Kelton draws praise as historically accurate liar/thief." Web Page: http://www.texaswest.com/standard-times/news/97/mar/1/17.htm. This page reports on a symposium dedicated to Western writers.