Their experiences in these stunning yet uncultivated surroundings cause dramatic changes in both men as they experience the westward movement of the agricultural frontier. The central characters of Father Vaillant, and especially Father Lour, represent the heroic ideal in that they are unmistakably viewed as enjoying a lofty status, yet they still feel genuine concern and understanding for the inhabitants they are seeking to help. Both priests have dedicated themselves to altruism and both show evidence of remarkable inner strength. Yet Father Lour seems to symbolize heroism somewhat more profoundly than Father Vaillant, which can be seen in the following passage that purposefully describes him: "The new Vicar must be a young man, of strong constitution, full of zeal, and above all, intelligent. He will have to deal with savagery and ignorance, with dissolute priests and political intrigue. He must be a man to whom order is necessary--as dear as life" (p. 8). Cather goes on to depict the noble characteristics of Father Lour when she writes: "When he discovers the juniper tree in the shape of a cross, his immediate response is one of grateful worship a priest in a thousand . . . His bowed head was not that of an ordinary man . . ." (p. 18). Lour is dignified and contemplative; Vaillant is straightforward and upbeat. Yet the two have acted as kindred spirits essentially since birth, and their alliance remains strong throughout their disappointments and victories in New Mexico. Such exasperating obstacles as corrupt Spanish priests and the unresponsiveness of the Hopi and Navajo regarding church and religion do not deter these men from pursuing their mission and preserving their friendship. As they persist in their attempts to construct a Catholic cathedral in the wilderness, these characters exhibit a relationship with the land and the people that is both powerful and moving, due in most part to Cather's detailed descriptions and explicit imagery.
