How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
[July] had arrested plenty of people who misbehaved, yet he could not bring himself to say a word to his wife about her own unusual behavior. (27.11)
It seems like marriage problems aren't to be talked about in the world of Lonesome Dove. It's a fake-it-'til-you-make-it situation, where July feels he is expected to just act like everything is fine. But is a fake marriage really a marriage at all?
Quote #5
"No, ma'am," Roscoe said. "I was never even engaged."
"In other words you've went to waste," Louisa said. (37.63—37.64)
There's a bit of a role reversal going on here. Generally, an unmarried woman is viewed as a spinster, or a waste, but here Louisa accuses Roscoe of going to "waste" for never being married. Maybe she realizes he's not good for much else, anyway.
Quote #6
"How would you know?" [Elmira] asked. "You ain't been married to him." (53.24)
It's easy to hate Elmira, but she makes a good point here. As we later learn from Clara, being around July Johnson for too long sets you up for a mind-numbing existence. We might leave him, too, in Elmira's position.