Half Broke Horses
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Chapter 1  Chapter 2  Chapter 3  Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Epilogue
Themes
All Themes Women’s Strength in a Man’s World Poverty and the American Dream Technology and Progress Connection to Nature Fate vs. Self-Reliance
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Lily Casey Smith Dad / Adam Casey Mom / Daisy Mae Peacock Helen Jim Smith Rosemary Mother Albertina Buster Rex Walls Dorothy Clemens Old Man Pucket Patches Priscilla Loosefoot Mr. MacIntosh Ted Conover Margaret Conover Rooster Minnie Hanagan Mim Grady Grammage Uncle Eli Fidel Hanna Gaiters
Terms
All Terms Breaking (horses) Foal
Symbols
All Symbols Half Broke Horses The Red Airplane
Literary Devices
All Literary Devices Allegory Allusions Flashbacks Foil Foreshadowing Genre Hyperbole Idioms Imagery Irony Logos Metaphors Mood Motifs Setting Similes Situational Irony Style Tone Verbal Irony
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Half Broke Horses

by Jeannette Walls
Upgrade to A+
Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis
  • Chapter 1 
  • Chapter 2 
  • Chapter 3 
  • Chapter 4
  • Chapter 5
  • Chapter 6
  • Chapter 7
  • Chapter 8
  • Chapter 9
  • Epilogue
Themes
  • All Themes
  • Women’s Strength in a Man’s World Theme Icon
    Women’s Strength in a Man’s World
  • Poverty and the American Dream Theme Icon
    Poverty and the American Dream
  • Technology and Progress Theme Icon
    Technology and Progress
  • Connection to Nature Theme Icon
    Connection to Nature
  • Fate vs. Self-Reliance  Theme Icon
    Fate vs. Self-Reliance
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • Lily Casey Smith
  • Dad / Adam Casey
  • Mom / Daisy Mae Peacock
  • Helen
  • Jim Smith
  • Rosemary
  • Mother Albertina
  • Buster
  • Rex Walls
  • Dorothy Clemens
  • Old Man Pucket
  • Patches
  • Priscilla Loosefoot
  • Mr. MacIntosh
  • Ted Conover
  • Margaret Conover
  • Rooster
  • Minnie Hanagan
  • Mim
  • Grady Grammage
  • Uncle Eli
  • Fidel Hanna
  • Gaiters
Terms
  • All Terms
  • Breaking (horses)
  • Foal
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • Half Broke Horses Symbol Icon
    Half Broke Horses
  • The Red Airplane Symbol Icon
    The Red Airplane
Lit Devices
  • All Literary Devices
  • Allegory
  • Allusions
  • Flashbacks
  • Foil
  • Foreshadowing
  • Genre
  • Hyperbole
  • Idioms
  • Imagery
  • Irony
  • Logos
  • Metaphors
  • Mood
  • Motifs
  • Setting
  • Similes
  • Situational Irony
  • Style
  • Tone
  • Verbal Irony
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
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Download the Teacher Edition
Download this Chart (PDF)

Half Broke Horses Study Guide

It's easy to cite LitCharts for use in academic papers and reports.


MLA

Ross, Julianne. "Half Broke Horses." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 17 May 2018. Web. 16 Mar 2026.


Chicago

Ross, Julianne. "Half Broke Horses." LitCharts LLC, May 17, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2026. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/half-broke-horses.

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