Well...

Elizabeth Gilbert is one of those wannabe cowboys. (cowgirls, if you want the more PC term. whatevs.) She admits that, embraces it, even parades it within her book, Last American Man. So its not surprising that she also loves all the tall tales that go along with American culture. For example, Davy Crocket, Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, etc. She praises the stories, and reminisces about the time when American men all aspired to become like that, independent and rugged. (which is funny because I mean, she wasn't even alive at that time...) Her story about Eustace is to prove that there is one last man like that out there - who is very much real. She integrates herself into his life to be able to give the reader a full look at what it takes to become and to be this "last American Man." Even though she does admit his flaws-exposes them to the readers, she still backs him up. Even though he may be a slave-driving, totalitarian madman, Elizabeth Gilbert has mad love for Eustace Conway. She shows this right off the bat, with passages like the one found on page 17. She praises him because she thinks that this is how it should be-that everyone should be like him, and be a man strong enough to live with only what he has without the help of society. So, in the end, I guess thats a no for Gilbert on the Debutante dinner.