Johnson was elated.
-- Narration (Learning Photography)

Importance: At the beginning of the novel, Johnson is a generally lazy person, but he becomes determined to learn photography so that he can join Marsh’s expedition. Johnson is frustrated at first with the time and effort required to learn photography, but he is elated when he finally learns the art, thereby showing him the rewards of patience and hard work.

Cope shows balance and restraint and is altogether agreeable.
-- William Johnson (West with Cope)

Importance: When Johnson first meets Cope, he finds the man perfectly kind, especially compared to Marsh. The novel does portray Cope as a generally kinder and more reasonable person than Marsh, but Cope’s personality is still marred by his often short temper and his complicity in his feud with Marsh.

They knew that fame and honor would accrue to the man who discovered and described the largest number.
-- Narration (Bone Country)

Importance: This quotation helps to develop a motivation behind the...