“Then the storms had stopped school, and all through that long winter the blizzards had howled between the houses, shutting them off from each other so that day after day and night after night not a voice could be heard and not a light could be seen through the swirling snow. All winter long, they had been crowded in the little kitchen, cold and hungry and working hard in the dark and the cold to twist enough hay to keep the fire going and to grind wheat in the coffee mill to grind wheat for the day’s bread.”
This quote shows the loneliness, as well as the struggle of pioneer life against an unrelenting environment. The family is confined to their home for most of the winter, without the company of neighbors, or distractions such as school. Building up a town on the harsh and unforgiving frontier presented many challenges that the Ingalls family faced and persevered through together.
“It was odd that when they were little, Mary had been the older and often bossy, but now that they were older they seemed to be the same age. They liked the long walks together in the wind and sunshine, picking violets and buttercups and eating sheep sorrel”.
This quote demonstrates the changing dynamic between family members, especially siblings, as they age. Laura and Mary used to have a more competitive relationship when they were younger, with Laura often being chastised by Mary, yet now as they become older and more mature, Laura feels more equal to her sister. Their relationship is a close one and indicative of the importance of family within the story.
“It was wished on me,” he said grimly. “My folks have got a notion there always has to be an Almanzo in the family because ‘way back in the time of the Crusades, there was a Wilder went to them, and an Arab or somebody saved his life. El Manzoor, the name was. They changed it after awhile in England, but I guess there’s no way to improved it much.”
This quote gives the origin of Almanzo’s unusual name, which Laura finds interesting. It also portrays the importance of family tradition seen in many pioneer families. His name is a family tradition that has apparently been kept up for hundreds and hundreds of years.
“The prairie looks so beautiful and gentle,” she said. “But I wonder what it will do next. Seems like we have to fight it all the time.”“This earthly life is a battle,' said Ma. 'If it isn't one thing to contend with, it's another. It always has been so, and it always will be. The sooner you make up your mind to that, the better off you are, and more thankful for your pleasures.”
This quote shows the constant battle pioneers had with nature. The unsettled prairie was an unpredictable place, and while the Ingalls family loved its beauty, they were also in awe and had a great respect for it. They were aware that life could change in an instant on the frontier and they did not take the simple pleasures in life for granted.
“Laure and Carrie knew the Declaration by heart, of course, but it gave them a solemn, glorious feeling to hear the words. They took hold of hands and stood listening in the solemnly listening crowd. The Stars and Stripes were fluttering bright against the thin, clear blue overhead, and their minds were saying the words before their ears heard them.”
In this chapter, Laura and her family attend Fourth of July celebrations in their rapidly growing town and feel immense pride in being American. This quote shows the pleasure they take in being American and the symbols that represent this such as the American flag and the Declaration of Independence. As a pioneer family, they feel independent and free and a deep respect for what the Declaration stands for in their young country.
