Short Fiction · Chapter
The Roads We Take explained
Shark Dodson and Bob Tidball rob the Sunset Express, killing a guard and a fellow outlaw.
What happens
Shark Dodson and Bob Tidball rob the Sunset Express, killing a guard and a fellow outlaw. After escaping, Bob's horse is injured, and Shark kills Bob to take the entire loot. The scene then shifts to reveal that Shark is actually a Wall Street broker named Dodson who had been dreaming the entire robbery.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because it captures the precise moment the protagonist’s humor shifts f…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Crime and Consequence
The train robbery and murder of Bob Tidball illustrate the brutal consequences of criminal greed.
- Ambition and Failure
Shark Dodson's ambition for wealth leads to betrayal and murder, yet his dream reveals a parallel ruthless ambition in the financial world.
- Deception and Appearance vs. Reality
The dream structure blurs the line between the outlaw life and the respectable broker, showing that the same ruthless nature underlies both.
Characters to notice
- Shark Dodson
Leader of the train robbery; later revealed to be a Wall Street broker named Dodson.
- Bob Tidball
Partner in the train robbery; killed by Shark Dodson for the loot.
- John Big Dog
Quarter-bred Creek Indian and accomplice; killed by the express messenger.
- Peabody
Confidential clerk to Dodson in the Wall Street office.
- Mr. Williams
Client of Tracy & Williams; comes to settle a deal with Dodson.
Key passages
“Bolivar cannot carry double.”
The horse can't carry two riders.
Shark Dodson uses this as a justification to kill his partner and take all the money.
“It ain't the roads we take; it's what's inside of us that makes us turn out the way we do.”
Our choices don't determine our character; our inherent nature does.
Bob Tidball's philosophical remark contrasts with the story's demonstration of inherent greed and betrayal.
