Europe was arming for a war into which the United States would inevitably be drawn. The reading public badly needed a book that glorified innocence and reflected a less complicated era than the one facing a populace still suffering from the Great Depression, shocked by the Spanish Civil War and its atrocities, and apprehensive about the rise of fascism in Germany, much of Eastern Europe, and Italy.

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings did not live in an age notable for the kind of feminism that emerged in the United States during the 1970’s and 1980’s, although in her early years, suffragettes were active in seeking the voting rights that women were finally accorded in 1920. In The Yearling, Rawlings certainly did not set out consciously to make a statement about the status of women. Nevertheless, she makes two important points about matters that are important in terms of feminist issues.

First, in her depiction of Ora Baxter, Rawlings creates a strong, almost overpowering female character who, if her actions are at times distressing, can at least be justified. The Baxters live at the edge economically. Not only does their farm produce little, but Penny’s bouts of illness leave him unable to hunt for the food that the family needs and render him powerless, at times, to prevent the onslaughts that bears and wolves make on his livestock. Viewing the Baxters’ situation realistically, an objective observer would have to conclude that Ora is right: The family cannot afford to keep Flag. Jody can practice small economies so that Flag’s presence will seem less threatening, but when the yearling jumps the fence and eats the crops, the solution to the problem is clear: Flag must be killed. The deer cannot be released to nature because it has become a domesticated animal, but the deer’s continued presence will lead to disaster for the family. Ora does the only thing that she can when she shoots Flag.

The only other female presence in the story (except for Grandma Hutto) is Twink Weatherby. She is not a major figure in The Yearling, but her social situation is clear. Two men are in love with her and fight over her. Twink is a pawn in a male-dominated situation. Apparently, she does not believe that she can simply tell Lem Forrester that she loves Oliver and wants to marry him. Instead, quite confounded by the barroom brawl generated by Lem’s jealousy, Twink flees, leaving town on a riverboat to keep people from talking about her. Oliver continues his pursuit of her and finally wins her hand. One wonders, however, whether, had he beaten Oliver to the punch, Lem Forrester might have won Twink’s hand as easily as Oliver did.

Baxter’s Island

Baxter’s Island. Farm of the Baxter family covering one hundred acres of Florida scrubland in the middle of a dry forest. Penny Baxter bought the land from the Forrester family, whose neighboring farm is called Forrester’s Island. The Baxter farm is covered with hardwood trees and rich foliage, representing a place of refuge, an oasis in a harsh natural environment.

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, who lived in Cross Creek between the towns of Gainesville and Ocala, not far from the places her novel describes, admired the independence of the people who lived in Florida’s backwoods. Her fictional Baxter evidently chose to farm on this land because of its isolation. Shunning city life, which makes “intrusions on the individual spirit,” Penny settles on the Florida scrub because the “wild animals seemed less predatory to him than the people he had known.” He learns to live in harmony with nature and to subsist on what his land has to offer. The challenge is great, however, because Baxter’s Island is “ringed with hunger,” and the family’s survival is constantly threatened by natural hazards, including harsh weather, predatory animals, and even the docile deer that Jody Baxter adopts as a pet—the “yearling” of the novel’s title.

*Ocklawaha River

*Ocklawaha River. Florida river that originates in several lakes near the center of the state and flows northward along the edge of what is now the Ocala National Forest before it joins the St. Johns River south of Palatka. Lined with cypress trees, swamp maples, and sable palms whose growth is dense enough to form a canopy above its channel, the river symbolizes the danger and beauty that humans must learn to respect, and understand.

After his mother shoots the yearling that has been destroying the freshly planted corn, Jody decides to run away from home. He heads for the river, on which he sets off in a dugout canoe. After several days without food, he is picked up by a river mail boat and returned home, ashamed and penitent.

*Juniper Creek

*Juniper Creek. Exceptionally clear stream fed by a spring that for Jody is a natural sanctuary.

The Yearling serves as an outstanding example of frontier regional literature. The characters' resilience and grounded nature are vividly portrayed through a distinctive speech pattern known as "cracker" dialect by Florida natives.

The Florida scrub and its inhabitants are depicted with near-journalistic accuracy, drawing the reader into the era's reality and the authenticity of Jody's struggles. The narrative's straightforward style and well-structured plot maintain the story's momentum, while Rawlings meticulously develops her characters' thoughts and personalities, revealing the intricate causes of their emotions and actions.

Rawlings masterfully evokes a range of moods, from the innocent boy's sense of security and peace by the pool to the profound despair of a young man feeling abandoned. She seamlessly integrates thoughts, themes, and impressions to create a rich, detailed portrayal of Jody's world.

The bond between humans, animals, and the land is a fundamental theme in The Yearling. Throughout the story, themes of loyalty, betrayal, survival, death, and loneliness emerge as characters engage with the natural world. The core question revolves around whether humanity must inherently conflict with nature, or if the beauty of nature can coexist with life's harsh realities. The Yearling illustrates that life is challenging, that suffering and sacrifice are inevitable, and that losing innocence is an unavoidable aspect of maturing.

When Maxwell Perkins recommended that Rawlings write a "boy's book," he referenced Huckleberry Finn (1884), Treasure Island (1883), and Kim (1901). Although the inspiration for the book can be traced back to this suggestion, The Yearling undeniably qualifies as a boy's book and a bildungsroman. The novel's most compelling aspects, however, stem from Rawlings's own life experiences and observations.

Moreover, this novel, like some of her other works, embodies a vision of the noble woodsman/farmer reminiscent of Cooper. A more immediate literary predecessor was Rawlings's earlier novel, South Moon Under (1933), which also portrays a boy growing up in the Florida scrub. However, in that work, the process—and the pain—of growing up is not the primary focus.

Many of Rawlings's other works explore characters, settings, and themes akin to those in The Yearling.South Moon Under portrays a family of Florida moonshiners struggling with the uncertainties of daily life in the scrub. When the Whippoorwill (1940) is a collection of stories centered on Florida and its inhabitants. It includes two award-winning stories: "Jacob's Ladder," which follows a girl living in the marsh with her common-law trapper husband, and "Gal Young Un," which narrates the tale of a discontented man who marries an older widow for her wealth and then invites a younger girlfriend to live with them.

Another notable book, Cross Creek (1942), is a compilation of autobiographical sketches about central Florida. It provides fascinating background material on how Rawlings's novels and stories were conceived and inspired.

In 1946, MGM turned The Yearling into a feature film starring Jane Wyman and Gregory Peck. Twelve-year-old Claude Jarman, Jr. received a special Academy Award for Best Child Actor of the Year for his role as Jody. Both Wyman and Peck were nominated for Oscars for their performances, and the film earned a nomination for Best Picture.

The movie is both sentimental and ironic, but the rustic dialect that flows naturally in the novel feels forced on screen. The character of Ma Baxter is softened in the adaptation, and the simple wonder and beauty of nature, which are central to the book, are overshadowed by the film's elaborate scenes.