This article is completely wrong about Crooks Springs' "participation" in the story's plot. Crooks Springs is not an active setting where events unfold but rather a destination that Sarah and her son seekโa "golden valley" symbolizing hope and the promise of a better future. However, they never actually reach Crooks Springs.
Although the article suggests that much of the story's action takes place in Crooks Springs, this is incorrect. The primary setting where significant events occur is Fort Bridger. Crooks Springs is merely referenced as a goal for the characters. The only time it "appears" in the story is in the final scenes when Sarah and her son glimpse it from a mile or so away. But rather than going to Crooks Springs, they decide instead to go to California.
In terms of narrative function, Crooks Springs serves as a motivation for Sarah and her son rather than a tangible setting. It acts as a MacGuffinโa plot device that drives the characters and story forward, even though it is not integral to the actual events. In many cases, a MacGuffin may never physically appear in the story, and that is precisely the case with Crooks Springs. None of the storyโs events take place there; it exists only as an unattainable goal within the characters' journey.
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