"O Pioneers"
"O Pioneers" by Willa Cather uses many elements to develop her theme. In the book she uses setting, plot, characters and style to show the theme. The book is about Sweetish immigrants and what they go though for their land. The author uses the setting to show how they care about their land. Throughout the story, Willa describes the country the family lived on with a sense of pride. As an example, in the beginning of the story, the story, the author wrote, " A mist of fine snowflakes was curling and eddying about the clusters of drab buildings huddled on the gray prairie, under a gray ski." This helped me understand the emotion and love the immigrants developed for their land, it showed the hope they had upon arriving.
Willa's writing is unique. The plot is a good example of how her work is different.
Willa separated her story into five major segments, which contained chapters. In the first segment entitled "The Wild Land" the father of the family dies. This part of the dedicated to Alexandra's hard work and dedication, to the strength that she showed when she found she was responsible for their family. In the second segment entitled "Neighboring Fields" Alexandra and her brothers have become rich. This segment takes place sixteen years after her father dies. The third segment "Winter Memories" is about Alexandra's brother Emil and Alexandra's friend Marie. The fifth and final segment "Alexandra" shows how Alexandra is hurt by her brother's death.
The writer uses the characters part in the novel to show how they used to love and need the land. Alexandra is the most important character; she takes over the land and expands it. Alexandra spent her entire youth working the land. Carl her childhood friend told her "you belong to the land" this tells the reader that she has spent all her life loving the land her father left her. The characters Lou and Oscar show how hard people worked for their land.
Willa's style of writing is different when compared to others. Although the main character she also writes in the other characters point of view too. This novel is written in the realism era. Realism is when they write about what is going on in real life. During this time immigrants cared for their land.
Willa Cather novel uses many elements to support her theme. The author mainly uses the character Alexandra and her place in the story to show the reader how much people loves their lsnd.
