Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Old Yeller, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
People and Animals
Masculinity and Emotion
Bravery vs. Fear
Coming of Age and Responsibility
Summary
Analysis
One afternoon, a young cowboy named Burn Sanderson, a newcomer to Salt Licks, arrives at the Coateses’ cabin. He introduces himself to Mama and explains that he has come down from San Antonio on a cattle drive, bringing along only dogs for help and companionship. The best of the dogs, a “big yeller” one who was a camp robber, has gotten away. Mama immediately knows that Burn is talking about Old Yeller—she calls for Travis to bring Old Yeller in from playing with Little Arliss. Travis immediately reacts with sadness and indignance, but he obeys his mother and goes to fetch Old Yeller and Little Arliss from the creek.
Travis and Old Yeller have grown closer and closer and have worked together harmoniously as they completed the tasks around the ranch. Now, Burn Sanderson’s arrival threatens to break up Old Yeller and Travis’s friendship—as well as Old Yeller’s relationships with Mama and Little Arliss. Travis decides that however upset he is, the right thing to do is to hold it all inside and stoically do the right thing by returning Old Yeller to Burn.
Themes
Back at the house, Burn ties a rope to Old Yeller and prepares to head back out. Little Arliss begins throwing a terrible fit and tossing rocks at Burn Sanderson. Burn Sanderson laughs at Arliss’s antics. He dismounts his horse and asks if Arliss really wants to keep Old Yeller. Arliss says that he does. Burn says that since he hasn’t eaten a good meal in weeks, he’ll agree to let the family keep Old Yeller if they can cook him up some delicious food. Travis is so relieved that he begins to cry. He runs away so that Burn won’t see him shed a tear.
In this passage, Burn senses just how deeply the Coateses have come to love and indeed need Old Yeller. He realizes that his own desire to get his best cattle dog back dwarfs this family’s love for the mutt, and he decides to let Old Yeller stay in Salt Licks. Again, Travis is moved —and again, he tries to hide his emotions.
Themes
Mama cooks a fabulous multi-course meal, and everyone eats their fill. After dinner, Burn sits around and talks a little while, then announces it’s time for him to head out. He asks Travis to come with him to the watering hole. As Burn lets his horse take a drink, he turns to Travis and tells him that there is a plague of hydrophobia going around—he didn’t want to say anything in front of Travis’s mother and upset her. Travis feels a sharp fear run through him. It is up to Travis, Burn says, to be on the lookout for any animals who are acting strangely: foaming at the mouth, staggering around blindly, spitting or fighting for no reason.
In this passage, Burn mirrors Papa’s behavior earlier in the novel. He entrusts Travis, the man of the house, with distressing information—and he asks Travis to shoulder the responsibility of keeping that information at the forefront of his mind. This shows that Burn senses Travis’s maturity and resolve—but Travis’s reaction also shows that he’s is still a young, frightened boy in many ways. The hydrophobia plague will be the biggest test Travis has faced yet: it threatens people and animals alike, and the disease is largely undetectable until it’s too late.
Themes
Burn senses Travis’s mounting fear. He urges Travis not to be afraid—after all, Travis’s Papa left him in charge, so Travis must be good at handling situations like this. Burn urges Travis to be vigilant and to not let anything that seems to have hydrophobia get anywhere near him, Mama, or Arliss. Travis says that he’s not scared—he’ll do what needs to be done. “That’s the way a man talks,” Burn says, and he claps Travis on the shoulder and rides away.
Burn knows that if Travis lets his fear get the better of him, he won’t be able to muster up the courage he needs to keep his family safe. Burn reassures Travis that he’ll be all right by appealing to Travis’s very obvious desire to be seen as a mature young man. Travis has a tough road ahead of him—but he’s determined to keep things under control for his mother and brother.
Themes
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