How Does Willa Cather Use Birds In O Pioneers

In Willa Cather’s novel, O’Pioneers, the use of wild birds is very subtle. But at the same time, Cather uses the birds in key parts of the story. In the book, main character Ivar uses the birds to compare to immigrants. This is one of the main ways Cather used to make the birds form symbolism in the book. Also, Cather uses the wild ducks to compare to Alexandria’s life. She focuses mainly on the way the ducks fly and the structure of them. Another form of symbolism is the comparing of wild birds to feminism. A lot of characters in general have a mutual feeling when it comes to the caring of the birds. A form of symbolism when it comes to that is the comparison and the differences of the characters to the wild birds. The author uses the

Ivar has a very strong connection with nature. That seems to be why he is so protective of the birds and other animals. In the first scene, Lou and Oscar wants to hunt the wild ducks, but Ivar understands that the birds are very happy and fun animals and refuses to let them do so. Ivar does not want Lou and Oscar to find out what he thinks about the birds because he feels like he will get made fun for it. Also, in the story Ivar seems to hear that these birds have different voices. Uses this information, Cather wants the reader to notice that the different voices of singing correlates back to immigration. It correlates so well because when different cultures come together they seem to create something beautiful, just like when different voices of birds. In the first part of this story Ivar did a great job of making the reader understand the significance of the

One of the biggest is Marie and Ivar, both of the characters hate when people harm the birds. Just like in the seen when they are by the pond and Emil shoots several of the ducks. And Marie becomes to get very upset. She realized that the ducks should not be killed for recreation. Marie thinks they do not deserve to be hurt in anyway. Or on another case when Lou and Oscar seem to want to hunt ducks, it makes Ivar mad. And Ivar is the only one who understand that there is something special about the ducks. Ivar and Marie are very alike when it comes to the birds due to their background of the birds in general. They understand that they must have respect for the land as a good pioneer must have. Alexandra also is against the shooting because she had a further respect for the land than the rest of the people. Just like when they are sitting down by the river and Frank shoots one. She begins to realize how the birds can correlate to love. And how love can go from the highest highs to the lowest lows. Just like when the bird got up and was flying and then was suddenly shot down. At this point it made Emil and Alexandra realize the pure joy of the duck and the respect they need to have for the bird. Through this story Carl makes a lot of influential quotes about birds in this story. One quote that stuck out by Carl was “Isn’t it queer: there are only two or three human stories, and they go on