O’Pioneers

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O’Pioneers Novel
Summary
O’Pioneers is an acclamation of praise to innovators, those great Americans who played a vital role in the transformation of wilderness into civilization. The book focuses on the life of a Swedish family, the Bergsons. They are immigrants to the US residing in a farm country near Hanover, Nebraska. Hanover is an imaginary town whose setting is around the 20th century (Cather 3). Alexandra Bergson, the main character inherits the farmstead when her father dies. Subsequently, she devotes her life to turning the farm into a sustainable enterprise irrespective of the myriad challenges. It is essential to note that she takes over the farmland at a time when other immigrants are leaving the lowland due to unending problems. The book also emphases on romantic relationships between Alexandra and Carl Lindstrom and another one between her brother and Marie Shabata, who is a married woman.
Despite her young age, Alexandra assumes the family’s financial and domestic troubles upon the death of her father. She guides everything that the family engages in, and it is through her resourcefulness that she manages to secure a measure of wealth for her brothers and herself (Cather 12). It is quite clear that Alexandra is more resilient than her brothers. Her determination allows her to persevere when drought and despair strike the town. Many families, including her lover Carl, sell their farms and relocate to other places. As opposed to making a similar decision and moving away, Alexandra manages to convince her brothers to take a homeowner’s loan using their farmland and get more property (Cather 45).

Also, she influences them to embrace innovative techniques of farming.
In her narrative, Cather skips sixteen years and introduces the readers to Alexandra’s future. At this time, her faith in the land has been reimbursed. Her brothers Oscar and Los have their own farms and are married. Alexandra has the most prosperous farm in the town (Cather 55). On the other hand, her youngest brother Emil has the opportunity of leaving the town for the State University. Crazy Ivar now works in Alexandra’s stables regardless of his controversial advice earlier in the novel. Oscar and Los criticize his presence in the farmland. After several years of travel, Carl returns to the village. In the meantime, Marie is stuck in an unfortunate marriage characterized by a problematic and hostile husband. It also becomes clear that she is falling in love with Emil. Fleeing the temptation presented by Marie, Emil travels to Mexico City. Carl and Alexandra rekindle their teenage intimacy. Discontented with this decision, her brothers force Carl out of the township for the fear that his association with Alexandra threatens the likelihood of their children of getting her property.
When he comes back to the town from Mexico City, Emil notices that his love for Marie has increased in spite of the one-year separation. He again makes the decision of fleeing Hanover. His decision fails to actualize this time as tragedy strikes. He loses Amedee, his best friend. In the process of paying last respect to his friend, he decides to bid Marie farewell. He finds Marie in her orchard and lies down next to her. Blinded by rage, Marie’s estranged husband shoots them to death when he finds them in the orchard. Alexandra realizes some level of recovery months after the murders. She decides to try and earn a pardon for Marie’s husband, who is incarcerated at the Lincoln jail. When she gets home from Lincoln, Alexandra finds Carl waiting for her. They discover relief and friendship in each other, and they choose to get married.
Works Cited
Cather, Willa. O pioneers! London: University of Nebraska Press, 2003.