Lena’s memories of her childhood serve as characterization for her. The passage also serves to explain her necessity for freedom through anecdotes from her childhood. For example, the reason that she does not want to be married is because, “even the wild ones” turn into cranky old fathers. This is reflective of her cynical memories of home, saying that her father was a cross man. Lena’s refusal to be married was a radical notion at the time of the books publication. Willa Cather portrays this decision as a noble one by having Lena’s independence portrayed in a good light. Independence is an overarching theme in Lena’s life, both past and present. As a child she was never away from more than two people and recounts to Jim how she never had a