Somewhat
shockingly, Laura Wilder’s Little House
on the Prairie is a novel that I have never read, neither as a child nor as
an adult. Therefore, reading it for this
class has caused me to perceive with an academic mindset, one crucially aware
of the larger concepts present in the text.
Didacticism, gender roles, power dynamics, and racism—all are present,
and can lead to a disheartening interpretation in modern times.
The
very idea of the so-called traditional family structure involved in a journey
of Western expansion will invite some modern readings of inequality and
convoluted power structures. The
detailed passages of Charles’ work contrasted with the detailed sections of
Caroline’s cooking and caring for the children establish that classic binary of
gendered housework. However, the
specific relationship between Caroline and Charles seems to break that
connection, at least slightly. At the
very least, Charles asks Caroline her opinion before implemented strong
decisions. Instances of “‘What do you say,
Caroline?’’ invoke a sense of equality and consideration often lacking in the
male-led sense of family (19)1. Sadly,
though, most of Caroline’s answers reassign the authority of the decision to
Charles: “‘Whatever you say, Charles’” (19).
Furthermore, Caroline’s docility in instances of harm contrast with
Charles’ control in those situations, further establishing a gendered sense of
familial divide.
The
more didactic elements of the novel further reinforce the classic,
somewhat-Victorian identity of this story.
Laura’s inner thoughts often illustrate then-contemporary notions of
children’s behavior, such as when she expresses that “it was shameful to cry”
after the family loses Jack when crossing the creek (24). Later, when Mr. Edwards visits for the first
time, Laura cannot contain her excitement but soon remembers, “that children
must be seen and not heard” (66). These
glimpses of Laura’s inner monologues serve to both enhance her character, but
also strongly construct the idea of the restrained, proper child so promoted in
these times.
Finally,
the blatant racism of Little House on the
Prairie constructs a disjointed read.
When Laura stresses her desire to “‘see a papoose’,” Caroline demands
that she “‘forget such nonsense’,” suggesting a distaste for Native American
identity and culture (123). When
discussing Native Americans in another instance, Caroline exclaims, “‘I just
don’t like them,’” obviously constructing a negative relation between the
different ethnicities of the novel (46).
These
complicated, varying concepts in the novel present a problematic reading in
modern times. I’m hoping to make more
sense of these ideas as the plot pulls together in the second half of the
novel.
1Wilder, Laura. Little House on the Prairie. Harper Collins, 1935.
Hello, Jake!
ReplyDeleteI am in the same boat as you, in that, prior to this class, I had never read nor watched any form of the Little House series. I approached it in a similar sense, along with an inkling of curiosity as to what made the series so likeable and popular for such a broad audience. I agree with you, in regards to the presence of the three themes you pointed out in your post, and to the extent with which they appeared throughout the novel. The book could practically be reformed into a Victorian 'book of manners', and it does clearly mark out the different roles expected of the genders in that time period.