A-Reading-Report-of-O-Poneers.doc

A Ｒeadｉng　Ｒepoｒｔ of O Ｐioneｅｒｓ

Conｔenｔs
Ⅰ Ｔhe wｒiteｒ Aｎｄ ｔhe Backｇround　of Ｗritｉng
Ⅱ 　Cｈarａcｔeｒs
Ⅲ Sumｍａｒy
Ⅳ　 Peｒｓonaｌ Ａnaｌｙsis

The writer And　ｔｈe Backgroｕnd of　Wｒitｉng ：　
Ｗｉlｌa Ｃather(18７3-１947)，ａn Ａmerｉcan noveｌiｓt , sｈｏrt stｏｒy writer　ａｎｄ ｐoet ， wａs born　iｎ　Ｖirginia . When nine ｙeａrs　oｌd ，　ｓｈe moｖeｄ wiｔｈ ｈｅr fａmiｌies　to Nｅbrａska Prairie ｉｎ tｈe west oｆ viｌlａges and　ｔoｗｎs .　Thｅ Ｏ Pｉonｅeｒｓ is oｎ ｔｈe　ｂaｃｋgrｏuｎｄ　of Nebrａsk Ｐｒairie ｗherｅ　Ｗilｌa Ｃatｈeｒ gｒeｗ up . Sｈｅ lived　ｔogether　wｉth tｈｅsｅ pｉｏneers　morninｇ　ａnd night , listｅniｎｇ ｔo theｍ telｌiｎg stories ａbout their oｗn hｏmｅｔowｎ ,　watcｈｉng　thａt these　ｎeｗ immｉgrants made stｒuｇgles and efforｔｓ foｒ　ｓurｖival　in desｏlａｔe pｒairie. Ｔｈese pｉonｅer woｍeｎ ｗitｈ　vibrａｎt, brａvｅ and　ｆull　oｆ patieｎce　spirｉt inｓpiｒeｄ hｅr　ｅnｄless inｓpiratioｎ　ａnd　iｍaｇinatiｏn　.　Wｉlla Ｃathｅr shｏwed heｒ depｐly enｔhusiasm aｎｄ lｏve　ｆｏr　west Ｎebｒask　and itｓ people iｎ thiｓ book.

Cｈaracteｒs：
Aｌexａndra Bergson －-- Ｔｈe nｏvel＇s　prｏtagｏnｉｓｔ， Alｅｘandｒa Ｂergsｏn iｓ a　model of emｏtional　ｓｔｒengtｈ, courａge， and ｒesoｌve. As ｔhe　elｄest child ｏf ｔhe Sｗｅdish　imｍigranｔ　Jｏｈｎ　Berｇson, sｈe inherits hｉs farm and makes it　proｆitａｂｌｅ． Ｐarticularly suited to the toil of praｉriｅ　lifｅ, shｅ　is a prｏtotyｐe　ｏf ｔhe stroｎg Ａmerｉｃan pioneｅr aｎd an emｂodimenｔ ｏf thｅ　unｔａｍeｄ　Amｅrｉcan Wｅst．
Ｅmil Bｅrgsｏn －-- Ｔhe ｙoungest sｏn ｏf　Joｈn Bｅｒgson,　ａnd　tｈe yoｕnger　brotｈeｒ ｏf Osｃar,　Lou, and Ａlexａndｒａ. Emil reaｐs ｔhe ａdvaｎtages of Alexandrａ's fiｎancｉaｌ　sｕｃｃess: frｅed　fｒom the obｌigatiｏns ｏf farm　work, hｅ iｓ ablｅ to gｏ to ｃoｌlege ａnd eｘplｏrｅ ｔhｅ world. He ｇrows　ｕp　tall, hanｄsomｅ,　and athｌeｔiｃ-－ａ ｓｈiniｎg embｌem ｏｆ America'ｓ ｉmｍenｓｅ promise. Trａgicallｙ, hoｗever,　Eｍil falls ｉｎ lｏｖe witｈ hiｓ flirtａtiouｓ neighboｒ Maｒiｅ　Shabata; he iｓ　killed, aloｎｇ　wｉth her, by her　ｈusband,　Fｒａnk.

Ｃaｒl Linsｔrｕｍ －－- Aｔ thｅ start　of　the　novel, tｈe Linｓｔrums　ｏwn the faｒm next ｔo　the Beｒgsｏns＇ ｈｏmesｔead, anｄ theｉr teenage sｏn, Carl, ｅstablｉshes　ａ ｓpecial bond wｉth Alexａｎｄra Beｒgｓoｎ.　Wｈen Carl rｅｔuｒns to thｅ Divｉde as an　aduｌt,　ｈis　fｒiendshiｐ with Alexaｎｄra evolvｅs ｉｎto a　deeｐer ａttｒactiｏn.　At ｔhｅ ｎoｖel＇s eｎｄ， ｔhey resolve to marry.　Carl　ｉs a ｗithdraｗn, ｇlｏomy, pｅnsive man, ｓｅlf－ｃonscｉous， sensｉtｉvｅ, aｎd intelligent.
Mariｅ Shａbａta --- Ｔhｅ　pｒeｔtｙ, viｖaciouｓ　yｏung Bｏhemiａn wife ｏf　Franｋ Shａbａｔa, aｎd Eｍiｌ Berｇsoｎ's love interesｔ. Mａrｉｅ's inｓiｓtent　cheer　ａnd frｉendly　effｅrvescence ｍａｋe　her an ｅａｓｙ ｆriend fｏｒ heｒ nｅighbｏr Alexａｎdra． Ｂut　ｉt　aｌso ｐrovokes ｔhｅ resentｍent　of her husbanｄ, Ｆrａnｋ， ｗhｏ　seemｓ ｄeｔermｉｎeｄ to ｂe　unhａppｙ． Ｎear ｔｈe ｎovｅl＇ｓ end, thｅ jealoｕs　Frank kｉllｓ both Mａrｉe and Eｍil.
Fｒank Shaｂatａ --－ Mａｒie Shaｂatａ'ｓ jeaｌｏus, unhａｐpy　ｈusbaｎd． Whｅn　hｅ ｓeｄｕced Mariｅ　away from　ｈer ｆamilｙ, Ｆｒaｎk Shabａｔa wａs a　handｓome, daｓｈing young maｎ. Gｒaｄuallｙ， Ｆrank ｂecomeｓ rｅｓeｎtfuｌ and ｍｅlancｈoｌｙ,　ａnd his mａrｒiａgｅ　to Marie begins　ｔo unraveｌ,　ｌeadinｇ　her to puｒsｕｅ a ｒelａｔioｎshｉp with Emil Ｂergson.　
Lou Bergson －-- Thｅ　sｅcoｎd sｏn　ｏf Ｊｏhn Berｇson,　and the　brother　of　Alexanｄra， Osｃar,　aｎd Emiｌ. Ｌou ｉs rｅlatiｖeｌｙ intelｌｉgｅnt,　but he ｉs aｌso dｅvious, small-minded,　ａnd　ｖiｃious． He ｍarｒiｅs Anｎie Ｌｅe　aｎd sｅttlｅｓ into a liｆe of sｃｈeminｇ and ｓmａll－tiｍｅ poｌiticｓ．　Hｅ is ｌeｓs　creatｉvｅ　and ｆlexiｂｌe thａn　Ａlｅxandra， and, ｌiｋe his older　bｒother　Oscar,　ｈe ｒｅseｎts thｅ reｌaｔｉonship ｂetween Alexandra and　Ｃarｌ　Lｉnｓtrum.　
Oｓcar Ｂergson --- Ｔｈe　ｏｌdest son　oｆ Ｊohn Beｒgｓon， thｅ　ｙoｕｎｇeｒ　broｔｈer　of Aｌexandra, and tｈe　older ｂrother　of Lou and Ｅmiｌ. Osｃar　iｓ a　harｄ　workｅｒ, but ｍentally　slugｇish ａｎd　uｎｃreａtｉvｅ． Ｌikｅ　his smaｒteｒ　broｔheｒ Lｏu， hｅ resenｔs Alexaｎdｒa ｆor her　fｉｎanｃial success，　hｅr unconｖｅntioｎal ｗays, and　her relａｔionshｉp wｉth Cａrl Ｌiｎsｔrｕm.
Crazy Ivar -－- Iｖar is ａ　deeｐlｙ　religｉｏus anｄ slighｔｌy imｂalanced ｅlderly man. Ｈｅ　ｄisｔrusts　cｉviｌiｚation and beｈaves　bizarreｌy arｏunｄ ｐeople， buｔ seeｍs to havｅ　an iｎnate underｓｔandiｎg of ｎaｔurｅ　aｎd aniｍaｌｓ. Hｅ becomeｓ Ａlexａｎdra'ｓ ｔrusted ｓerｖant.　

Summary:
Ｏ Pｉonｅers! opeｎｓ　on a bluｓtery ｗinｔer day, in　the toｗn of　Hanｏver,　Nｅbｒaｓka， soｍeｔime　betweeｎ　１８83　and 189０． Tｈe　nａrrａtｏr iｎtｒｏduces foｕr　ｐrinｃipaｌ ｃharａcｔeｒs:　tｈｅ ｖeｒy younｇ Emil Ｂｅｒｇson; his　ｓｔalwart　oldｅr sisteｒ, Aｌexandra；　hｅｒ glｏomy　frｉend Cａrｌ Ｌinｓtruｍ; anｄ ａ　preｔｔy littｌe Bohemiａn cｈild, Maｒie Ｓhaｂａta. From　ｔowｎ, Emｉｌ　and Aｌexandｒa and tｈｅir　nｅiｇhbor　Carl ｒｅtuｒn home to　the deｓｏlatｅ sｔretcｈ of plaｉｎｓ　ｋnown as　ｔhｅ Divide.　Ａｌexaｎdra's　father，　Ｊｏｈn　Bergsｏn， ｉｓ ｄying．　He　ｔells his　tｗo eldeｓｔ sｏns, Ｏscaｒ aｎｄ Loｕ， ｔhat ｈe is eｎｔrusting　the fａｒmｌanｄ, anｄ ｔhｅ preｓervａtiｏn　ｏf all thaｔ he ｈas accｏmｐｌiｓhed since hｉｓ imｍiｇratiｏn from　Sweｄeｎ，　to ｈiｓ dauｇhter.
It beｃｏmes ｃlｅar tｈat Alexaｎdra ｉs stronger and moｒｅ　rｅｓoｌｕte　than　heｒ brｏtherｓ. When drought ａｎd depressｉon striｋe　threｅ　yｅars later, Alexａnｄra's determination aｌｌows her ｔo peｒseｖere. Ｍany　familｉes， incluｄing Cａrl　Ｌinstrum's， sｅlｌ ｔｈeir farms　anｄ move awａy. But Alexanｄra ｂｅlievｅs ｉn the proｍisｅ　of tｈｅ ｕntamｅd couｎtry,　ａｎｄ so she　cｏnvinceｓ her　brｏtｈerｓ tｏ re－mortgagｅ　tｈeiｒ ｆａｒm and ｂuy ｍore land. She ａlｓo ｃonvinｃes　thｅm to　adｏpt　innovａtｉve ｆａrming tｅchnｉqｕes.
Tｈｅ ｎaｒrative　jumps siｘtｅen　ｙeaｒs intｏ　tｈe future, wheｎ Alexanｄra's faith iｎ tｈe　land has bｅｅｎ repａid.　Ｌｏu aｎd Ｏsｃar　are marrｉed, ａｎd each ｏｗns his ｏwn fａｒm. Aleｘaｎdｒａ＇s farm is　the most prosｐerous ｏn the Divide. Ｅmil has　ｂeen pｒｏvidｅd　ｔhe wealth aｎｄ luｘurｙ ｔｏ lｅaｖe the Divｉｄｅ for　ｔｈｅ Statｅ Ｕnｉｖersｉｔy. Crazy Ivaｒ,　the　eldeｒly, ｓlightｌy iｍbalanced man ｗho，　eａrlieｒ　in ｔhe ｎovel, gave Alexandrａ　sｏme ｃoｎtｒoversiａl　farmiｎg advice,　now wｏrｋs iｎ Aｌexanｄra'ｓ stables, although Lｏu and Ｏscaｒ　ｄisaｐｐｒove oｆ ｈis　prｅｓeｎce. Amiｄ this uｎderlｙｉｎg teｎｓｉｏn， Carl Liｎstrum　reｔurns　for a loｎg visit ａｆter yearｓ of trａvel.　/PAＲAGＲAPH. Meaｎｗhiｌｅ,　Mａrie Sｈabatａ iｓ ｔrａppeｄ iｎ　an unhappｙ marrｉaｇｅ　wｉth a sulleｎ　anｄ　dｉfficult husｂａnd, aｎd it bｅｃoｍes ｃｌear that　ｓhe　anｄ Emil aｒe ｆalliｎg iｎ loｖｅ. Emｉl deｃiｄes ｔｏ ｔravｅl to Ｍexiｃｏ Ｃｉｔy,　fleeing the temptatiｏｎ that Ｍarie pｒｅseｎts.　Ａｌｅxaｎｄｒa ａnd Carl ｓｌｏwly regａｉn　their　ｔeeｎage ｉnｔｉmacy. In　reactioｎ, Lｏｕ anｄ Ｏsｃar driｖe Cａrl　ouｔ of　town,　ｆｅａrｉｎg tｈat　ｈis relａtioｎｓhip with Alexandｒa ｍiｇht tｈreatｅn　their　oｗn childreｎ＇ｓ　ｐｒoｓpects　of inhｅｒｉｔing Alexaｎdra's faｒm．
Emil rｅturｎs　from Mexｉcｏ ｎeａrｌy a yeａr laｔｅr, only　tｏ fiｎd tｈａt hiｓ love fｏr　Maｒie　has gｒown dｕring theｉr ｓｅpａrａtioｎ． Ｏnｃｅ agaｉn, ｈe ｒesｏｌves ｔo ｆlｅｅ the　Divide. Bｅforｅ he ｃａn ｌｅave， tｈｏｕｇh, tｒａｇedy　sｔrikes: his bｅst frｉeｎｄ， Ａｍedｅe， dｉes　unexpｅctedly.　At ａ　cｈurcｈ mass, Emｉl enterｓ　ａ　state of ｒaptｕre ａnｄ　reｓolｖeｓ　ｔｏ ｓay　farewｅlｌ tｏ　Mａrie.　He ｆinds her ｉn a siｍiｌａr eｃstａｓy in　her orchaｒd， and he ｌiｅs ｄｏwn ｎｅｘt to　her. Heｒ　ｊｅａlous husband,　Frank Shabａta,　finds　thｅｍ.　Blinｄed bｙ fuｒy,　ｈe sｈoots tｈem　bｏｔh deａd.
Ｍonｔhｓ after thｅ murｄers，　Alexaｎdrａ Bｅrgson ｈaｓ acｈieveｄ soｍe　limｉｔｅd reｃｏverｙ fｒom ｈｅｒ sｏrrow; ｓhｅ nｏｗ possesｓes　a ｓtｏic ｅxhaustion with　liｆｅ.　Shｅ reｓoｌveｓ to ｔｒｙ tｏ　win a pardon　for Frank, wｈｏ　is serving a ｔeｎ-year　sentenｃe　in a Liｎｃｏln jaiｌ． Rｅtuｒｎiｎg frｏm a visｉt　to Fｒank　in　Lincoｌｎ, sｈe ｆinｄs Ｃａrl Linstrum waiｔing for hｅr.　As sｏon as he heaｒd oｆ Ｅｍｉl's ｄeath， he ｒetｕrneｄ　ｆroｍ Aｌaｓkａ．　Ｔhey　find ｃoｍfｏrt and coｍpaniｏnship ｉn eaｃh otheｒ， and ｔhey ｄｅcide to mａrrｙ．
Pｅｒsonａl Analｙsis：
The diffｉculｔ relａｔionｓhip ｂetweｅn　the　iｎdｉviduaｌ　aｎd soｃiｅtｙ　ｉs　ｏne of thｅ most　endurｉng themeｓ　of American ｃuｌtuｒe, aｎd,　as　ｓuｃh, ｆiｇures prｏminently in Aｍｅｒicａn ｌiｔerａtｕre.　Americａ's ｆirst　Puritan foｒebｅars ｗere　diｓｓenteｒｓ, forced tｏ rｅｃoｎｃiｌe　their iｍpulse ｔowａｒｄ ｒevolｕtiｏn　ａgaiｎst　ｔｈe soｃiｅty　tｈat coｎfined them　wiｔｈ　ｔｈeｉr fａith in tｈe sanctiｔy ｏf tｈe　iｄea of commuｎiｔｙ.　Since　then, Aｍeriｃa has been ｍarked by ｔhe ｕｎｅaｓy bａｌance betwｅen the ｆｏrｃes of ｔhｅ perｓoｎaｌ and tｈe puｂlic, ｂeｔween thｏｓe of indiｖidｕal drｅams ａnd tｈe ｇrｅat Amｅｒicａn Ｄreaｍ. Wｉlｌａ Ｃatｈer＇s　ｆｉｒｓｔ grｅat noｖel, O Piｏnｅｅrs!,　aｄdressｅs itｓｅlf in ｌａrgｅ ｐart to thaｔ　uneａsy balａnｃｅ．　Iｎ the stｏｒｙ of Alexanｄra Bergｓon,　the nｏｖel meaｓures ｔhe ｐoｔｅnｃy oｆ the remａrkａble ｉndiviｄuａl agａｉnst　universal　huｍaｎ　desiｒｅs aｎd ｔｈe　forｃｅs of natioｎal　ｈｉstory.
The　uneasiness　thaｔ marｋs the charａcｔeｒs' ｒelａtiｏnｓｈｉp　wiｔh sｏcｉety and hisｔoｒｙ　iｎ O　Piｏneers! ｉs　also pｒesent in　their relatｉonsｈip wｉtｈ the　lanｄ. Tｈe land iｓ tｈeiｒ ｈome and　theiｒ　ｌivelihoｏd，　and ｉt ｃoｎstitｕtes ｔhe promｉse that ｔｈey ｓought　in ｍｏvinｇ　ｔo　the Weｓｔ．　Cather　gives　the land　a forｃe and preseｎce oｆ　itｓ own， ｕtterｌｙ ｉndｅpｅｎｄeｎt，　even disdainfuｌ， of humaｎ settlｅｍent： ＂ｔhe greａｔ fact" of　prairie lｉｆe, sｈe wｒites in the fiｒst ｃhａｐter，　"was ｔhｅ　land iｔｓelf．" She　imbｕes ｔhe prairiｅ ｗith　a vａｓt ｉnｅscａpabｉlity and an undeniable pｏwer oｖeｒ ｔｈose ｗho　attempｔ ｔo ｅｘｅrt　ｔｈeir　ｗｉll uｐon ｉt;　the ｌand itseｌf is wｈat mａｔｔｅrs,　ｎot the ｐeoｐle ｗho inｈabiｔ it. Ｔhuｓ thｅ ｌand of Ｏ Ｐiｏｎeeｒs!, in paｒtｉcｕlar,　and tｈe　Weｓt, in general, becoｍe tｉｍｅlｅsｓ　anｄ iｍpersoｎal　ｉn their maｓｓivｅ　ｓcａle. Cａｔher wｒites ｔhat the land ｗanｔs　and feels； it giveｓ and it takｅｓ, leavｉng the ｐionｅeｒs to submｉｔ tｏ ｉts whim. In　its ｖastnesｓ, the ｌanｄ ｓｅｅmｓ beｙond tranｓformaｔion, alwayｓ holｄiｎg indiｖidual　pionｅers　ｉn　iｔs gｒasｐ.　Yet oveｒ　tｉme, thoｕgｈ　ｎo iｎｄivｉduａｌ pioneer　ｃａn conquer ｔhe lanｄ, the　ｃuｍulａｔｉｖｅ sｐirit ｏｆ　generａtionｓ oｆ ｐionｅeｒs is ａ force uｎto itself.　Through the coｌleｃtiｖe sucｃesｓｅs　and　fａiｌurｅs　oｆ these　inｄｉｖｉduaｌs, the ｌanｄ is ｉndeｅｄ trａnsformeｄ.
Alｅxandra Ｂergsoｎ's rｅlationship　ｗｉtｈ ｔhｅ land epｉtｏｍiｚes ｔhis grａnd struｇgｌe　beｔween huｍan ａgency　and tｈｅ larｇer ｆoｒces tｈaｔ　ｍanipulate indiviｄuals. Ａlｅｘandra ｅｘerts　hｅｒ　wｉll uｐon tｈe lａnd eｖen as it ｂｅnds aｎｄ shaｐeｓ her． Ｙet　ｈer relatｉonｓhｉｐ wiｔｈ ｔhｅ lanｄ ｇoes ｄｅeper than ｍeｒｅ　control or　ｉnfluence． Sｈe is,　to somｅ ｅxtent，　an ｉnｃarｎation of　the laｎd. At the same　time, ｓhe seeｍs ｃurioｕsly　emｐty ｏｆ　humａn emotion and　personality: "Ａs a　wｏmａn，" wｒiｔeｓ tｈe critic Blancｈｅ Gelfant, "Alexanｄra　lacks ａ　ｐｅrsoｎａl inneｒ lｉfe．＂ Her relaｔｉｏnshiｐ with Ｃarl Lｉｎstｒuｍ seeｍs ｓｔranｇely　ｄｅvｏid　ｏf romａｎｃe；　her attachmeｎt to hｉm ｉs lａrgelｙ　unemotional. Ｈｅｒ　recurring　ｆanｔasies ｏf ａ ｍan ｗhｏ rｅsembｌeｓ　a myｔｈicaｌ　corn ｇｏd demonstrate　ｈeｒ coｎnectiｏn tｏ the　land aｎd dissociaｔｉoｎ from　coｎvｅｎｔｉoｎal　sｏciety． Her stoｒy ｃan be seｅn, Ｇeｌｆａｎt ｓuggesｔs, as a kind of ｃreａtiｏn myth, a uniｖersalized story　aboｕｔ the cultivatｉｏn aｎd sｅtｔｌemｅnt　ｏf ｔhe Ameｒiｃan Weｓｔ． Aｌexａndra's　ｓｔory may bｅ, as Cａrl suggestｓ, merely oｎe　of ＂two ｏr tｈｒｅｅ　ｈｕman stｏｒｉes ｗｈｉch　rｅpeat　thｅmsｅlｖｅs.＂
Aｓ it depicts indｉvｉdualｓ wiｔhiｎ a masｓive， uｎfｏrｇivｉｎg　laｎdscape,　ｔhe noveｌ putｓ veｒｙ little ｆaith　in　tｈe ａbiliｔy of iｎdiｖiduaｌs　tｏ contrｏl tｈeir lｉveｓ. Nor ｄoes ｉt hａve　muｃh fａitｈ in ｔhe hｕman ｃａpacitｙ to　foｒm　meaｎｉnｇfｕl and lasｔinｇ ｒｅｌａｔionsｈipｓ： tragic and　aｂoｒtive relaｔionｓhips, especially unhappy marriaｇes, aｂｏｕnd iｎ O　Piｏneers!. In　the enｄ， tｈen,　Catｈｅr's novel cｅleｂｒates tｈe amｂｉtiｏuｓ idea aｎｄ hａrd realｉty of pioneｅr　Ａmerｉca,　buｔ remaｉns　skeptical　about the iｎdividuaｌ pｉoｎeｅr's　capacitｙ　for haｐｐiness withiｎ　ｔｈe ｃoｎｆiｎes　ｏf tｒaditional　socｉal ｒeｌａｔiｏnshiｐｓ, and　ａbｏut ｔhe ｉｎｄｉｖiｄｕａl　piｏｎｅｅr's abiｌiｔy ｔo affect hisｔory　ｔhrｏuｇh　posｉtive ａctioｎ. Yet, wｈile Alｅxaｎｄrａ occupiｅｓ　a　ｖeｒｙ familiar　cｕltuｒａl　spａce-－that of the iｎdiviｄual sｔｒugｇlinｇ ａgａinst ｌarｇｅr ｆorceｓ--the ｎovel　ｎｅｉｔher reｓｏlves　the ｑuestｉon ｏf humａn　histｏrｉcaｌ agｅnｃy nor， ｂeｃａuse oｆ her great will　aｎd ｄeep rｅspect　fｏr ｔhe pｉoneer sｐiｒit， depeｒsonaliｚes Aｌｅxandra ｂy　consigｎinｇ　ｈer tｏ　a steｒeotｙpe． By novel＇s　eｎd, through　a sｏrt ｏｆ paｓsｉｖe，　stoｉc will　tｈat ｓeems to mirror ｔｈe will of the ｌａｎｄ， Alexandrａ iｓ ａble　tｏ aｖoid lｏｎeｌiness　ｉn heｒ　uniｏｎ　wｉｔh Carl and gａin　soｍｅ mｅａsｕrｅ of ｉnｄividualｉｔy.