Naturalistic Thinking In O Pioneers ! By Willa Cather

In “O Pioneers!” by Willa Cather it is easy to see how similar Cather is to her own character Alexandra Bergson, who many of Cather’s own views can be learned through. Throughout the story there are many examples of realistic, romantic, and naturalistic thinking. Realistic thinking may not be represented the most by in “O Pioneers!”, but I believe Cather leaned toward it a little more than the other types of thinking. She had a realistic view of a woman’s place in society and refused to just be a housewife. By doing so she lead the way for many female writers and encouraged them to write and make a name for themselves.

“O Pioneers!” has many examples of naturalistic thinking throughout. For example in part one, chapter two Cather describes John Bergson’s struggles by saying “ Now, when he had at last struggled out of debt, he was going to die himself. He was only forty-six, and had, of course, counted upon more time.” Also in part two, chapter twelve Alexandra states

Part one, chapter one Cather describes the houses as “The dwelling-houses were set about haphazard on the tough prairie sod; some of them looked as if they had been moved in overnight, and others as if they were straying off by themselves, headed straight for the open plain. None of them had any appearance of permanence, and the howling wind blew under them as well as over them.” Additionally in part two chapter one, Cather describes Alexandra’s land by stating “When you go out of the house into the flower garden, there you feel again the order and fine arrangement manifest all over the great farm; in the fencing and hedging, in the windbreaks and sheds, in the symmetrical pasture ponds, planted with scrub willows to shade to the cattle in fly-time. There is even a white row of beehives in the orchard, under the walnut trees.” The realistic thinking in “O Pioneers” may not be very evident, but it is still represented throughout the