In the book “O Pioneers!” Willa Cather discusses her views on the three philosophies of life. She makes it clear as to which one she personally adheres, from a Realistic, Romantic and Naturalistic view of the world. Cather uses many circumstances of each type of philosophy.
Willa uses Romanticism lots of times in her story. For instance, in Part 4, Chapter 7-8 after Frank kills Marie and Emil, Cather says, “two white butterflies from Frank's alfalfa-field were fluttering in and out among the interlacing shadows; diving and soaring, now close together, now far apart; and in the long grass by the fence the last wild roses of the year opened their pink hearts to die.” Another quote from that scene includes, “She had lifted her head to her lover's
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For example, in Part 5, Chapter 2-3 Carl and Alexandra have a talk about Marie and Emil. Carl says he saw Emil and Marie from the beginning, with the quote “they were the best you had here.” The naturalists would say that they didn’t care about Marie and Emil. Another example would include the fact that Alexandra says, “All at once, in a single day, I lose everything: and I do not know why.”, in Part 2 Chapters 11-12. This shows naturalism because the quote is true and she has lost a lot within lots of time. Willa Cather also uses the quote “There is something frank and joyous and young in the open face of the country. It gives itself ungrudgingly to the moods of the season, holding nothing back. Like the plains of Lombardy, it seems to rise a little to meet the sun. The air and the earth are curiously mated and intermingled, as if the one were the breath of the other. You feel in the atmosphere the same tonic, puissant quality that is in the tilth, the same strength and resoluteness.” John Bergson had given Alexandra the land to take care of because he easily trusted her over her brothers. Alexandra did do a great job of keeping up with the land, in fact for more than 16