Throughout the novel, the extent to which Father Latour works to bring health and harmony to the extending cities of New Mexico is beyond most men’s capability. He spends days and nights on horseback, traveling from one town to the other, just to help a certain individual. “…[H]e had …to be abroad for weeks together on short rations, sleeping in the open, unable to ke

ep his body clean…” ( Cather 275). He not only goes to extremes to help individuals, but also for what he faithfully believes in. He and Father Vaillant, in order to build their cathedral in the wilderness, face corrupt Spanish priests, the cultural and ethic differences between the Hopi and Navajo, and worst of all, Mother Nature. These adventures are a test of his capabilities and of his qualities as an American.

America, unlike any other country, is a blending of all cultures and ethnicities into one giant “melting pot.” In order to be a true American, with morals and values, one has to feel and show respect for other cultures and realize that their own is not superior. Father Latour not only accepts the Native American way of life, but works hard to improve upon it. His compassion for their culture and their hard

Some topics in this essay:
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