A Leader Who Dislikes Groups (Situational Irony)
Call, though a natural born leader, has always had a distaste for groups. He cannot stand the immodest conversations (about cards and women) that other men have as they drink and gamble after work. For this reason, Call seeks physical distance from others to recharge his energy. Beginning in Chapter 2, Call reveals how he takes nightly walks to the San Antonio River to patrol (despite there being no real need) as well as to hone his instincts. Once the cowhands get used to night herding while on the trail, Call returns to his habit of night patrolling away from the others. This is an example of situational irony because one might expect a leader to enjoy groups of people.
Augustus's Death and Call's Return to Lonesome Dove (Situational Irony)
At the end of Part I, Augustus tells Call, “I’ve lived about a hundred to your one. I’ll be a little riled if I end up being the one to die in the line of duty, because this ain’t my duty and it ain’t yours, either. This is just fortune hunting.” Augustus understands that Call's desire to go to Montana is about recovering a sense of purpose in his life. When Augustus indeed ends up being the one to die on this journey, he requests that his friend bury his body in Texas. This is an example of situational irony because the reader might expect Call to achieve his sense of purpose by reaching Montana. Instead, Call loses all interest in the work and ends up backtracking all the way to where he started.
