Eli McCullough is the patriarch of the McCullough family and one of three central characters whose perspectives provide the braided structure for the novel. Eli plays a complex role in the novel, which reflects the thorny morality of US expansion into Texas.

In his storyline, Eli functions as a protagonist, eliciting the reader’s sympathy as he rises from the tragedy of his family’s murder and his kidnapping. In Peter’s storyline, however, Eli functions as an antagonist, opposing his son’s decisions to sympathize with the Garcias and shelter María, and actively conspiring with various family members to undermine Peter’s status on the ranch. To Jeannie, Eli is an aspirational figure, though that her storyline highlights the absurdity of idolizing Eli.

Eli is defined by the pendulous shifts in circumstance that send him to various parts of the frontier. His skill and cunning as a young frontiersman make him a viable candidate for chief once he becomes integrated into the Kotsoteka band. When he returns to white American society, he refuses to give up his Comanche possessions, including his clothes. Eventually, he is forced to give up these remnants of his Comanche identity to wear different uniforms, such as that of the Texas Ranger and that of the Confederate soldier.