Friday, June 27, 2008
Interpreting key passages from the text
To help us identify key passages from O Pioneers!, I would like you to work in pairs on your assigned section of the novel and identify two or three of the most imporant passages from this section. Type them into your comment and then explain why you think they are significant.
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Page 77: "I like trees..."
Marie speaks about her desire to play the passive role of a wife, as she believes trees are "resigned to the way the have to live". This passage also reflects her desire to be understood without question. At the same time Marie is expressing that she does not exhibit these characteristics. She feels that she can not resign herself to the way of life that her peers expect.
“Sometimes, as she lay thus luxuriously idle, her eyes closed, she used to have an illusion of being lifted up bodily and carried lightly by some one very strong. It was a man, certainly, who carried her, but he was like no man she knew; he was much larger and stronger and swifter, and he carried her as easily as if she were a sheaf of wheat. She never saw him, but, with eyes closed, she could feel that he was yellow like the sunlight, and there was the smell of ripe cornfield about him. She could feel him approach, bend over her and lift her, and then she could feel herself being carried swiftly off across the field. After such a reverie she would rise hastily, angry with herself, and go down to the bath-house that was partitioned off the kitchen shed. (cather 106)”
This quote represents how Alexandra cannot find a man in the new land that can handle her. Her desire is for someone bigger and stronger, that can carry her away. In her fantasy she sees he has yellow skin and smells like the corn that has helped her prosper so well. After this she is angry with herself because it possibly represents something that she actually wants but is trying to repress it.
pg 85 "The Property of the Family belong to the men..."
As Alexandra argues with her brothers on pg 85, Oscar reinforces the common opinion of the men in the family clearly by stating, "The property of the family belongs to the men of the family, because they are held responsible, and because they do the work." This opinion is completely conflicting with the desires of Alexandra to not have to conform with the norms and standards set forth by her family and society at the time. Alexandra then comments that she too has contributed to the efforts of the family business, but is quickly dismissed by Lou when he says, "We realize that you were a great help to us. There's no woman anywhere around that knows as much about business as you do...but of course the real work always fell on us." Cather is able to reinforce the expected role of women while also displaying the inherent lack of respect given to their contributions by their male counterparts.
"She was thinking of that time long ago when she and Emil drove back from the river valley to still unconquered Divide. Yes she told herself, it had been worth while; both Emil and the country had become what she had hoped. Out of her father's children there was one who was fit to cope with the world who had not been tied to the plow. Who had a personality apart from the soil (Cather 109-110)."
This quote explains how Alexandra tried to raise Emil so he will be able to become successful without working the land. It also seems as though Alexandra is a bit resentful about the hand she was dealt.
Alexander; Chapter 2 p. 153
…It seemed unreasonable that life should have landed him in such a place as this. She blamed Marie bitterly. And why, with her happy, affectionate nature, should she have brought destruction and sorrow to all who had loved her, even to poor old Joe Tovesky…That was the strangest thing of all. Was there, then something wrong in being warm-hearted and impulsive like that? Alexandra hated to think so. But there was Emil, in the Norwegian graveyard at home, and here was Frank Sahbata. Alexandra rose and took him by the hand.
“Frank Shabata, I am never going to stop trying until I get you pardoned. I’ll never give the Governor any peace. I know I can get you out of this place.”
This passage summarizes Alexandra’s feeling towards the death of Marie and Emil, as well as provides and interesting insight into her character. She blames the death on Marie because she’s married and should not have been acting in her friendly ways towards men. Alexandra almost condemns Marie’s youthfulness, and in turn, justifies her (Alexandra’s) own reserved ways. Forgiving Frank for murdering a good friend and brother says something about Alexandra’s character. It takes a certain kind of person to reach such a realization about the murders and then another to forgive. Then, the act of kindness toward Frank in voicing how she wants get him “out of this place” truly shows her full forgiveness and kind heart. It is interesting how Cather compares Emil in the grave to Frank in the penitentiary.
Part V: Alexandra
“Lou and Oscar can’t see those things… Suppose I do will my land to their children, what differences will that make? The land belongs to the future…” (158)
In the end of the novel, “O Pioneers!” by Willa Cather, the scene takes a place when Alexandra comes back from Lincoln Jail after visiting Frank, who killed his wife and Alexandra’s favorite brother, Emil. Alexandra has a long talk with her best friend or fiancé, Carl, who hears about the death of Emil and Marie and returns to Nebraska from Alaska. In the quote above, Alexandra tries to say that people have never looked at the land and civilization with appreciation, but as matter of course. Later on, Alexandra says that land is always here, but people are always coming and going. The true statement of who land should belonging to is not the matter of old tradition value, but people who love it and understand it.
“the land wanted to be let alone, to preserve its own fierce strength, its peculiar, savage kind of beauty, its uninterrupted mournfulness”
This quote represents the qualities of the land that make it so markedly distinct. It calls to attention its tendency to be solitary and forlorn. This is in turn passed to those trying to inhabit the land. The interesting juxtaposition of the land's beauty and its mournfulness create an interesting dynamic of how looks can often be deceiving. The land can lure one in with its beauty but then chew and spit out those who try to control it.
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