Cather skillfully brings to life the wild prairie surrounding Red Cloud, Nebraska, anchoring it firmly in a particular era and location. In the late 1800s, immigrants were instrumental in settling this new frontier. The novel is frequently described as a rich tapestry, interwoven with the vibrant colors of the landscape that Cather describes so beautifully. Time progresses with the changing seasons, each defined by its unique colors: the sunflower-lined roads and pale-yellow cornfields of summer, the slimy green of frozen asparagus, the delicate green of half-frozen insects, and the rosy haystacks of autumn. Essentially, Cather's work serves as a metaphor for the American pioneer experience, with the prairie itself being as significant a force in the novel as its characters.