Alexandra Bergon Character Analysis

As a woman, Alexandra Bergson is an unusual type. She is strong in a very different way, but it makes for a phenomenal pioneer. At the beginning of the novel, Cather defines a pioneer right out, “A pioneer should have imagination, should be able to enjoy the idea of things more than the things themselves”. (31-32). Based on that alone, and Alexandra’s development throughout the novel, she absolutely embodies a pioneer emotionally, mentally and perhaps even physically. There are two different technical definitions of a pioneer, Alexandra seems to be a pioneer in the verb definition as opposed to the noun definition. Her father was the first in their family to settle their land and start a farm, more of a pioneer by circumstance. Alexandra

““Lou turned to his brother. “This is what comes of letting a woman meddle in business,” he said bitterly””. (105). Regardless of her success, they are not happy that she was given control over the land. This idea of men not being able to handle a woman’s success seems to be a recurring theme in this novel. What they might not realize is that her success comes at a price. By being successful, she is providing Emil the opportunities he probably would not have had otherwise. In order to provide him with those opportunities, she had to give up her mental and maybe even emotional development. Alexandra seems to be a very simple person in every aspect of life but farming. She is not against the idea of using new technology to better their land; that’s the pioneer mindset poking through. She may not realize she wants or needs to develop personally but she will, without hesitation, develop her land. Her happiest memory is of a duck swimming, it seems awfully impersonal, but I believe that is Alexandra’s mind in a nutshell. “No living thing had ever seemed to Alexandra as beautiful as that wild duck…Alexandra remembered that day as one of the happiest in her life”. (130). The fact that this was her happiest memory goes to show how simple her mind is and how almost shallow her “deep” thoughts