Reading Pointers

Reading Pointers for Sharper Insight

To better appreciate O Pioneers!, take note of the following:

Structure: The structure of Cather's novel is, like a Shakespearean play, divided into five sections. Each section contains daily life experiences that tie into the previous sections. The turning point of the novel comes in Chapter III and the climax in Chapter IV, with the rest of the novel presented as a resolution to the events.

The central theme, character, and symbol is the Land. Cather deals with various aspects of the area in which the Pioneers live:

• the mood of the land

• the beauty of the land

• the indifference and harshness of the land

• the people's love of and need for the land

• the effect of the land on its people

Point of View: By using the omniscient viewpoint, the Cather details many events and details, but the technique allows the reader to see the reasons why the characters are thinking and acting as they do.

Symbolism: The author introduces various symbols early in the first section and elaborates on them later in the book:

• the ducks

  at Ivar's pond
  as seen by Emil and Alexandra
  killed by Emil

• religion

  Ivar's Old-World religion
  the French church
  Marie's Catholic faith
  the confirmation service

• the orchard

  Carl's family planted it.
  Emil meets Marie there, cuts it, and hunts in it.
  Marie works and dreams in it.
  Death occurs in it.

• Color: Note Cather's use of color throughout O Pioneers! to denote cheerfulness and happiness through the colors of the sunset, plants, and fields; in addition, pay attention to her use of gray tones used to symbolize unhappiness and sadness. Other colors she uses effectively are white, purple, and red.

• Death: Both literally and symbolically, dying plays an important role in the telling of the story, and death reiterates the change of seasons. O Pioneers! begins and ends with death, and it also includes other instances within the story to move the plot forward:

Imagery, Theme, Plot, and Character Developed by Contrasts:

• the undeveloped vs. the farmed land

• calm Alexandra vs. rash Marie

• educated Emil vs. his uneducated brothers

• vibrant Amédée vs. sullen Frank Shabata

• the reasonable love of Carl vs. the rash love of Emil

• the unemotional common sense of Alexandra vs. her emotional, illogical brothers

• the power of the land to impoverish vs. the power it has to make wealth

• patient action vs. rash action

• love for the prairie vs. hatred of it