It helps to understand the plot of the story
The prevalent tone that this sentence conveys is sadness. The verb 'plodded' suggests exhaustion, 'dragging' implies hopelessness and 'empty night' could be a metaphor for their current perspective of their souls.
Plants (corn and tobacco), animals (Buffalo, moose, alligator), people (indians and tribes),
In The Outsiders, the west-side rich kids and the east-side rich kids were on opposing groups.
