Sage
Sage is something that can be seen throughout the novel. Sage is a word for a variety of plants used together as spices added to food during cooking, and is also the shortened term for sagebrush. It has thick and woody stems, light green leaves, and beautiful flowers that are a rich purple color when in full bloom. Not only does this plant hold a position in the title of the book, it also appears at many important events in the book. When Jane and Lassiter meet, there is sage all around them, springing up new life as they mourn Milly Erne's death. When Venters barely survives an attack by Tull, we see the imagery of the sagebrush. Even during the climax of the novel, as Jane and Lassiter flee from their pursuers, there horses run past miles of sage. The imagery of sage can be seen as a symbol for resistance, toughness, and the fight to carry on your beliefs and the principles which you believe in.
Cattle
Cattle are a huge aspect of the plot and theme of the novel, as many of the lives of the characters revolve around either taking care of their cattle or stealing it from others. Jane Withersteen's father left her thousands of cattle ad they are one of the few remnants she has of him. These reddish-brown cattle, who are constantly riled up and either in a state of panic or anger, represent wealth in the own and sometimes the corruption of human morals due to that wealth. The Mormon elders of the town abuse Jane and Bern in part because of Jane's wealth and her cattle. Oldring's Rustlers kill and harm innocent people in order to obtain these cattle for personal gain. When the cattle are portrayed in the book, it is either at a time of prosperity of corruption.
Wilderness
The imagery of wilderness is burned into the novel and brilliantly sets up the western theme of the novel, especially because the author can so tactfully paint the various landscapes. The novel's pages contain vivid descriptions of green, meadowy ranges; rust-colored canyons with sharp, diving edges; rough and foreboding plateaus, burned on the sides; and soaring, lush valleys. By using this imagery of the wilderness and the beautiful landscape of southwestern Utah, the novel is able to portray the rough, wild, and untamed nature not only of the environment and the animals which live in it, but of the Mormon society in the middle of this wasteland and the people who inhabit it.
Guns
Guns seem to be a powerful symbol and an image that appears in times of increased action and tension. This image pops up when Lassiter is on the range, riding in from Texas, fighting the outlaws and defeating them on his search to find his long-lost sister and avenge her. Guns also pop up during the encounter between Bern and Tull, where Bern Venters is barely saved from the corrupt and malicious Tull, who wanted nothing more than to whip Bern to death. We also see this image at a powerful moment of the book, when Bern kills Oldring and injures Bess, only to fall in love with her. The imagery of guns repeatedly seemed to represent the pursuit of justice and people fighting against the evils of society.
Dust Clouds
Dust clouds or plumes of dust are a very important image that often appear during times heightened action or significance to the plot. These dust clouds are created by a horse or multiple horses kicking up the dirt and sand around them as they run across the desert-like land. The clouds appear larger and larger as the horse and its rider move closer and are also larger when there are multiple horses and people moving together, which acts as a way to convey increased action or suspense in the novel. Overall, these dust plumes are used to signify the appearance of a new character or individual to the plot. Usually, this went two ways throughout the book. One way was the appearance of an entirely new character who we had never seen before. The other way this imagery was used was to show a character arriving who was usually an opposing force to the characters currently in the scene, and would represent or foreshadow a conflict that was about to take place. Lassiter's arrival in Cottonwoods is a great example of both these usages of the imagery happening simultaneously. In the scene, the Mormon elders are about to whip Bern Venters nearly to death, while Jane Withersteen can only watch helplessly. Then, a cloud of dust appears on the horizon and every character turns to the arrival of this stranger. Lassiter then arrives onto the scene, as the dust cloud introduced him to the novel. He proceeds to argue with the Mormon elders and save Bern Venters from a likely death, a conflict which the imagery of the dust cloud helped foreshadow.
