Wild Bill Kickok Essay, Research Paper

1. Character vs. character

Wild Bill vs. Dave McCanles – David McCanles employed Bill and always

bullied other people. Dave had tried many times to get Bill to fight

him. A man named Horace Wellman owed Dave some money but did

not have any way of repaying McCanles. One day, after Horace had

come back from trying to get some money at a larger town, McCanles

and two others arrived at Wellman?s house, where Bill was staying.

McCanles called Wellman out, but instead, got shot by Bill. The other

two fled, Bill dropping one dead, and fatally injuring another, that was

later found dead on a river bank. Bill was cleared of the shootings.

Solution: Fight McCanles face to face.

Character vs. character

Wild Bill vs. Dave Tutt – Dave Tutt was a man constantly bullying weaker

men, and wanted a reputation by killing Wild Bill. Tutt stole Bill?s

watch that he had gotten from his father. Bill met Tutt at the town

square, where Tutt was shot dead. Bill was found not guilty seeing that

Tutt had antagonized him for so long.

Solution: Kill Tutt for stealing his watch.

Character vs. Nature

Wild Bill vs. the wolves – One night, when Bill was in his early teens, Bill

faced a pack of wolves attacking his livestock outside of his home. Bill

killed two wolves before the rest of the pack fled.

Solution: Shoot a few wolves and scare the others away.

Character vs. Society

Wild Bill vs. New York – Bill?s old friend, Will Cody a.k.a. Buffalo Bill,

asked Wild Bill to come to New York and perform in his wild west

show. Bill did not like New York and hated performing because he

thought he looked stupid. After a hard time given to him by the owner

and Buffalo Bill, Wild Bill walked out on the show returning for the

plains.

Solution: Leave the show and do what you want to do.

2. Wild Bill Kickok – smart, rugged, quick, strong, adventurous, stands up for

whet is right.

Buffalo Bill – helpful,celebrity, loves being the center of attention.

Agnes Lake – beautiful, smart, caring.

I can relate to Wild Bill because he always stands up for those in need

or in trouble. I?d like to meet Wild Bill and Buffalo Bill because they were

big figures that helped shape the west. Wild Bill and Buffalo Bill would

probably be my friends because they never really hated anyone unless they

wanted them dead, and I wouldn?t want to be in a duel against either of them.

3. After reading this book, I know a little bit more about how the west was

settled. What I liked about it was how Bill always ended up in something

famous like the Civil War, Underground Railroad, Sante Fe and Oregon

Trails, and the War with the Indians. The only part I disliked was the fact Bill

was shot in the back. The life of Wild Bill reminded me of Forrest Gump. He

didn?t go around looking to be famous and always ended up in crucial

situations that had great effects on the course of history.

4. At the end of the book, Charlie Utter said, ?You saved many, many more

lives than those claimed by your deadly six-shooters. Yours was a job well

done.? To me it shows that just a few shots saved more lives and settled

more land than a war would do for the same cause. I think the author means

an extraordinary job was done by an extraordinary man that any other man

would?ve failed.

5. This book relates to today in such a good way. It shows that one man can

do things to change so many peoples lives by doing so little. A good lesson to

learn from this book is that no matter how high the odds are against you, you

should always fight to accomplish your dream.

6. This book is hard to believe because of one man doing so many things that

had an affect on history. The twists that got me were when he?d move to

another part of the plains and something happened to him there. I just that

over the course of so many years the things he had done had been multiplied

a couple times beyond what really happened.

7. This book has made me think a lot more about the individuals that helped

settle the west more than the type of people that settled the west. It showed

me that there were people there, trying to make a better life, and in Wild Bill

they had someone they could look up to. The only part I would change about

this book would be the fact that Wild Bill was shot in the back in killed

because he was such a great man and deserved better. I think all he should

have done was not sit with his back to a door, which he normally would do if

he thought he was in jeopardy of being shot. I think any book about a legend

should be considered a classic because people are inclined to read about it.

8. Do you remember hearing about the legends of the west, but never really

knew what exactly they did? Shannon and Warren Garst give you the

incredible story of one of these heroes, Wild Bill Hickok. The book takes you

through the entire life of Wild Bill, from childhood to his untimely death. The

book itself is geared toward elementary school-children with it?s grammar,

but this does make it a great book to sit down with on a sunny afternoon or a

cold snow day. It?s a great book to read with or to your children because if

they learn any moral values from this book, it?s to respect others and handle

every situation with a cool head. So if your looking for a quick book to read

in an afternoon, a day, a night, or whenever, read this book Wild Bill Hickok.