A common theme towards the end of book one was the experience of pioneer men versus women. Although the roles of the characters throughout in the book suggested that men were supposed to do the labor and bring home food, while women cooked and took care of the home, the death of Antonia’s father reveals how ingrained these stereotypes were. As Antonia works in the fields more, Jim notices a change in Antonia as she begins to behave more like her brother, and this is about the time the two start to grow apart. The change in Antonia’s personality reflects the vast difference in the experiences and values of pioneer men and pioneer women, as her personally drastically changed when she began participating in typically male activities. It also reveals