49 pages • 1 hour read
Zane GreyA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Riders of the Purple Sage takes place in Southern Utah during a point in history when members of the Mormon faith were still the majority of settlers in the area. Members of the Mormon faith began moving into Utah in 1847, shortly after the death of their founder, John Smith. The novel opens in 1871, just 24 years later. As a result, the communities of Utah are still primarily made up of members of the Mormon faith in the novel. As the daughter of the man who founded the original settlement at Cottonwoods, Jane Withersteen lives with many great expectations. As a single, Mormon woman, she is expected to marry a Mormon man. However, Jane is sympathetic to the non-Mormon people in the area and has gone out of her way to help them. She has even engaged in a relationship with Bern Venters, a non-Mormon man. Mormon leaders disapprove and wage war on Jane to convince her to marry Mormon man and church leader, Elder Tull.
Throughout the novel, Jane is told to behave in ways that her community believes are more suited to her position as a Mormon woman.
Action & Adventure
View Collection
American Literature
View Collection
Books on Justice & Injustice
View Collection
Books that Feature the Theme of...
View Collection
Books that Feature the Theme of...
View Collection
Challenging Authority
View Collection
Fathers
View Collection
Fear
View Collection
Feminist Reads
View Collection
Friendship
View Collection
Good & Evil
View Collection
Grief
View Collection
Hate & Anger
View Collection
Historical Fiction
View Collection
Loyalty & Betrayal
View Collection
Power
View Collection
Pride & Shame
View Collection
Religion & Spirituality
View Collection
Revenge
View Collection
Romance
View Collection
Safety & Danger
View Collection
Trust & Doubt
View Collection
Truth & Lies
View Collection
Westerns
View Collection