The Unvanquished Courage Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Section.Paragraph)

Quote #1

But that dont suit John Sartoris because John Sartoris is a damned confounded selfish coward, askeered to stay at home where the Yankees might get him. (2.2.22)

Huh. Uncle Buck's assessment of the situation is a little counterintuitive. The boys think that John Sartoris is a hero because he's always off fighting, but Uncle Buck calls him a coward for the same reason. Maybe he's afraid of staying home, which makes fighting the cowardly thing to do.

Quote #2

"We had a prisoner last week who said...that Colonel Sartoris didn't fight, he just stole horses." (2.2.25)

The chinks in the armor grow… John Sartoris is supposedly a big, bad, fearless hero, but he's accused, again by Uncle Buck, of actually stealing horses rather than fighting Yankees. That would make him less courageous and more cowardly than he's made out to be.

Quote #3

"Dru stopped Bobolink and jumped down in her Sunday dress and put the pistol to Bobolink's ear and said I cant shoot you all because I haven't enough bullets and it wouldn't do any good anyway but I wont need but one shot for the horse and which shall it be?" (3.2.22)

Drusilla's outnumbered in many different ways here. She's surrounded by Yankees that literally outnumber her, for one. But she's also a girl surrounded by men, putting her at a definite disadvantage. She's also about to lose everything, including her prized horse, but her courage in the face of all these difficulties saves her and her horse.