Abilene Christian University
Digital Commons @ ACU
Language and Literature
College of Arts and Sciences
2015
Willa Cather’s Great Plains Trilogy: The Formative
Landscape
Jeanine Varner
[email protected]
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Varner, Jeanine, "Willa Cather’s Great Plains Trilogy: The Formative Landscape" (2015). Language and Literature. Paper 1.
http://digitalcommons.acu.edu/lang_lit/1
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1
WillaCather’sGreatPlainsTrilogy:
TheFormativeLandscape
ThenovelsOPioneers!,TheSongoftheLark,andMyAntoniaareoften
consideredtogetherasWillaCather’sgreatplainstrilogy.Althoughthethreenovels
arequitedifferentfromeachother,theydoshareafascinationwiththemagnificent,
harshprairielandscapeandwiththewomenofthatworld.
Catherdescribesthegreatplainslandscapeinlanguagethatisquitesimilar
tothelanguagesheusestodescribethewomenthemselves.Examiningthe
languagesheusestodescribethelandscapeandthewomen,alongsideher
commentsinherrecentlypublishedcorrespondence(TheSelectedLettersofWilla
Cather,ed.AndrewJewellandJanisStout,2013),helpsusascertainwhatshemost
appreciatesinthestrong,vigorouswomensheadmiresaswellaswhatshemost
valuesinthelandscapeofherownformativeyears.
TheRecentlyPublishedLetters
AnimportantcontributiontoCatherscholarshipemergedin2013:the
publicationofTheSelectedLettersofWillaCather.Ofcourse,manyoftheletters
havelongbeenavailableinvariousplaces.ButJewellandStouthavenowmadeit
possibleforCatherreadersandscholarstoenjoyalargecollectionofherletters,
arrangedchronologicallyandcarefullyedited,withminimalbuteffectiveeditorial
commentary.
InanextendedreviewofthenewSelectedLetterstitled“MakingaScene:
WillaCather’sCorrespondence,”publishedinHarper’s,ChristineSmallwood
2
describesthepublicationofthenewbookas“amajorevent—thoughnotonethat
revealstheauthortohavebeenamongthewittiestormostentertaining
correspondentsintheAmericantradition”(87),acommentwithwhichIheartily
disagree,bytheway.SherightlygoesontoexplainthatCather’s“lettersarepushy,
annoying,affectionate,over-bearing,franklyimmodest,andfalselymodest.They
brimwithwide-eyedgosh-meselfpromotion,healthcomplaints,theoccasional
paranoiacinsight(forcolor)andinsults(fortherecipient’sowngood)(87).
ThereviewalsoaddressesthefactthatCatherdidnotwantherletterstobe
published.ItistruethatinherwillCatherforbadethepublicationofherletters.As
JewellandStoutpointout,however,shedidnotsystematicallycollectanddestroy
hercorrespondence;over3000letterssurvive.Amongthelettersdestroyed,
apparently,weremostofthosetoIsabelleMcClungHambourgandEdithLewis.
Thelettersthatdosurviveandarepublishedinthenewcollection,however,
arefascinatingtoreadandprovideimportantinsightsintothelifeandworkof
Cather.Shewasanamazinglyprolificletterwriter.Eventowardtheendofherlife,
whenatendoninherhandwascausingherintensepain,shestillwrotemany
letters,apologizingallthewhileaboutthequalityofherhandwritingandthe
infrequencyofherletters.Herlettersaresometimesbusinesslike;shewritestoher
publishers,oftenquibblingaboutdetailsconcerningthecoversofhernovelsorthe
typographyinthem.Herlettersaresometimesfunny,aswhenshewritestoher
longtimefriendCarrieMinerSherwoodandcomplainsofcertainillustrationsin
“TwoFriends”:“Theeditorgivesawesternstorytosomenutwhohasneverbeen
westofHoboken,andwhothinksthatallWesternmenarerough-necks,”andthen
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adds,“Ihatepublishingstoriesinmagazines,anyway,andonlydoitbecausethey
paymeverywell”(469).Manyofthelettersarequitetouching,writtentofamily
andfriends,andfullofcareandconcernforthoseshehasknownforyears.
InadditiontogivingreadersglimpsesintoCather’slife,thelettersgive
readersimportantinsightsintothenatureofthecharactersandthelandscapesof
hernovels.ThelettersreinforcenotonlyCather’sloveoftheGreatPlains
landscapesbutalsoherbeliefthatthestrong,vigorouswomenwhocalledthose
landscapeshomewereformedbythemandwereindeedinseparablefromthem.
OPioneers!(1913)
Beforeweexamineanyoftheletters,let’sconsiderCather’sinterviewfor
thePhiladelphiaRecordin1913inwhichshedescribesherintroductiontotheGreat
PlainsafterleavingVirginia,whereshewasbornandlivedduringherchildhood.
Ishallneverforgetmyintroductiontoit.WedroveoutfromRedCloudto
mygrandfather’shomesteadonedayinApril.Iwassittingonthehayinthe
bottomofaStudebakerwagon,holdingontothesideofthewagonboxto
steadymyself—theroadsweremostlyfainttrailsoverthebunchgrassin
thosedays.Thelandwasopenrangeandtherewasalmostnofencing.As
wedrovefurtherandfurtheroutintothecountry,Ifeltagooddealasifwe
hadcometotheendofeverything—itwasakindoferasureofpersonality.
Iwouldnotknowhowmuchachild’slifeisboundupinthewoods
andhillsandmeadowsaroundit,ifIhadnotbeenjerkedawayfromallthese
andthrownintoacountryasbareasapieceofsheetiron.Ihadheardmy
fathersayyouhadtoshowgritinanewcountry,andIwouldhavegoton
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prettywellduringthatrideifithadnotbeenforthelarks.Everynowand
thenoneflewupandsangafewsplendidnotesanddroppeddownintothe
grassagain.Thatremindedmeofsomething—Idon’tknowwhat,butmy
onepurposeinlifejustthenwasnottocry,andeverytimetheydidit,I
thoughtIshouldgounder.
...IthinkthefirstthingthatinterestedmeafterIgottothe
homesteadwasaheavyhickorycanewithasteeltipwhichmygrandmother
alwayscarriedwithherwhenshewenttothegardentokillrattlesnakes.She
hadkilledagoodmanysnakeswithit,andthatseemedtoarguethatlife
mightnotbesoflatasitlookedthere.(xi)
Indeed,Cathersoonrealizedthatalthoughthelandscapewasflat,lifein
Nebraskawasnotflatatall.Inthesameinterview,shedescribestheNebraskafarm
womenwhomshefoundfascinating.“Ihaveneverfoundanyintellectual
excitementanymoreintensethanIusedtofeelwhenIspentamorningwithoneof
thoseoldwomenatherbakingorbuttermaking.Iusedtoridehomeinthemost
unreasonablestateofexcitement;Ialwaysfeltasiftheytoldmesomuchmorethan
theysaid—asifIhadactuallygotinsideanotherperson’sskin”(xii).
CatherwritestoherfriendZoeAkinsin1912:“Iamsogladyouliked‘The
BohemianGirl.’Yes,Ireallythinkit’sprettygoodmyself.I’mdoinganotherabout
threetimesaslongaboutthesamecountry.Inthisnewonethecountryitselfis
franklythehero—ortheheroine—thoughIthinkthepeople,Swedesand
Bohemians,areratherinterestingtoo”(169-170).
InOPioneers!,thecountryitself—theverylandscape—istheheroine.
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Alexandra,thecentralcharacter,isinextricablylinkedtotheland.Shebattlesthe
harshelements.Shebattlesthetownspeoplewhomockherdaringtoinvestinmore
andmoreland.Shebattlesherownbrothers.Atonepoint,Lousaystohisbrother
Oscar,“Thisiswhatcomesoflettingawomanmeddleinbusiness....Weoughtto
havetakenthingsinourownhandsyearsago.Butshelikedtorunthings,andwe
humoredher.”Oscarresponds,saying,“Thepropertyofafamilyreallybelongsto
themenofthefamily,nomatteraboutthetitle.Ifanythinggoeswrong,it’sthemen
thatareresponsible”(72-73).Despitethebattles,orinpartbecauseofthem,
Alexandracannotimagineleavingthelandbehind.AsAlexandrareuniteswithCarl
attheendofthenovel,shereminiscesaboutherlongingtoseetheoceanandthe
shipyardwhereherfatherhadworkedmanyyearsearlier.ShesaystoCarl,“But
youwouldneveraskmetogoawayforgood,wouldyou?”Carlreplies,“Ofcourse
not,mydearest.IthinkIknowhowyoufeelaboutthiscountryaswellasyoudo
yourself.”Alexandrasays,“I’velivedherealongtime.Thereisgreatpeacehere,
Carl,andfreedom....IthoughtwhenIcameoutofthatprison,wherepoorFrankis,
thatIshouldneverfeelfreeagain.ButIdohere.”Alexandrathentakesadeep
breathandlooksoffintotheredwestasCarlmurmurs,“Youbelongtotheland...
asyouhavealwayssaid.Nowmorethanever”(124).Thenovelconcludes,
“Fortunatecountry,thatisonedaytoreceiveheartslikeAlexandra’sintoitsbosom,
togivethemoutagainintheyellowwheat,intherustlingcorn,intheshiningeyes
ofyouth!”(125)
Theland,thelandscape,hasformedAlexandrasinceherarrivalinNebraska
inhergirlhood.Ithasmadeherstrong,independent,ambitious,andfiercely
6
determined.Carlisright:shebelongstothelandandthelandtoher,andshe
cannotbeseparatedfromit.
TheSongoftheLark(1915)
AlthoughCather’snextnovel,SongoftheLark,hasseveraldistinctlydifferent
settings,itisclearthattheGreatPlainslandscapeofTheaKronborg’schildhoodisa
formativeinfluenceonher,remainingapartofherthroughoutherlife.Inan
appreciativelettertoherfriendHelenSeibelregardingTheSongoftheLark,Cather
writes,“Youseemtohavelikethebook[TheSongoftheLark]inthewayinwhichI
wanteditlikedandtohavereaditinthespiritinwhichIwroteit.IfIhadwrittena
prefacetothebook,Iwouldhavesaid‘Iforoneamtiredofideasand‘greatnotions’
forstories.Idon’twanttobe‘literary’.HerearealotofpeopleIusedtoknowand
love;sitdownandletmetellyouaboutthem”(215).
Thea’straveltothedesertmakesadramaticcontributiontoherbecomingan
artist,butThea’searlylifeontheGreatPlainsisinseparablefromhercharacter.In
alettertoherfriendKatharineFoote,Catherwrites:“Mythemewasalwaysher
‘Moonstone-ness’,andwhatshegavebacktoMoonstoneintheend”(216).
Similarly,inalettertoherfriendDorothyCanfieldFisher,Catherexplains,“it’sall
reallydonefromtheMoonstonepointofview....For,ofcourse,mypointwasnot
thedevelopmentofagenius—mypointisalwaysMoonstone,whatshegotfromit,
whatshegavebacktoit”(218).
Ofcoursethedesertlandscape,too,wasformativetoCather,anditistoThea
aswell.CatherexplainstoFerrisGreenslet,literaryeditoratHoughtonMifflin,
regardingTheSongoftheLark,“UnlessyouhadlivedallovertheWest,Idon’t
7
believeyoucouldpossiblyknowhowmuchoftheWestthisstoryhasinit.Ican’t
workoveritsomuchthatIeverbluntthe‘Mycountry,‘tisofthee’feelingthatit
alwaysgivesme.WhenIamoldandcan’trunaboutthedesertanymore,itwill
alwaysbehereinthisbookforme;I’llonlyhavetoliftthelid”(199).Andinanother
lettertoFerrisGreenslet,CatherexplainsofThea,“ItwastheCliffDwellerruinsthat
firstawokeherhistoricimagination—sonecessarytoagreatWagneriansinger—
andthatthere,awayfromdrudgeryforthefirsttimeinherlife,shereallygrew,all
atonce,intoapowerfulandwillfulyoungcreature,gothercourage,begantofind
herself”(205).
AlthoughThea’shistoricimaginationisawakenedinthedesert,hercharacter
hasalreadybeenformedbythemagnificent,harshGreatPlainslandscape.The
challengesoflifeinthatlandscape(moonscape?)havemadeherafiercely
determined,independentyoungwoman,willingtodefyordinaryexpectations:to
leaveMoonstonetogotothegreatcityofChicago,andeventuallytoleaveChicago
forEurope.Evenherlifeasanoperasingerhadbegun,unknowntoherself,inRed
Cloud,Nebraska.InalettertoDorothyCanfieldFisher,Catherexplains,“Thenin
RedCloudtheytrulylove,astheysay‘thevoice.’Itfillsthemwithpleasureand
content.Shehadtobeasingerforthem,notbecauseIhappentogototheOperaa
greatdeal.Iwasn’ttryingtoputsomethingoveronRedCloud”(219).
MyAntonia(1918)
InhernextGreatPlainsnovel,MyAntonia,CatherreturnshometoRedCloud
again,tothedelightofherreadersandtotheapprobationofhercritics.Inaletter
toherbrotherRoscoeCather,shewrites,“Allthecriticsfind‘Antonia’moreartistic.
8
AmanintheNationwritesthat‘itexistsinanatmosphereofitsown—an
atmosphereofpurebeauty.’Nonsense,it’stheatmosphereofmygrandmother’s
kitchen,andnothingelse”(261).Thisisanovelofmemory—ofherlifeonthe
plainsandthepeoplewithwhomsheshareditasayoungwoman.Hermemoryof
herlifeontheGreatPlainswassorealthatmanyresidentsofRedCloudsoughtto
findthemselvesortheirneighborsthinlydisguisedinthenovel.Sometimes,they
werewrong—butnotalways.CatherwasthrilledtofindherRedCloudreaders,for
themostpart,appreciativeofthenovel.InalettertoDorothyCanfieldFisher,
Catherwrites,“TheRedCloudpublicisreadynowtohearagoodword,forafter
‘Antonia’theyreallycameround,andsaid‘yes,itwasexactlylikethat;thatisthe
waywerememberit.’”(299)
CatheracknowledgestheimportanceofherownmemoriesoftheGreat
Plainsinaletterto“HisExcellencythePresidentoftheCzechoslovakRepublic,”
ThomasMasaryk,whodeeplyappreciatedMyAntonia:
Ihavethegoodfortunetopreservefriendlyrelationswithmostofmy
characters,evenafterIhaveputtheminbooks.‘Antonia’andhertwelve
splendidchildrenarefleshandbloodrealities.EverytimeIgobacktothemI
feelhowmuchmoreinterestingandlovabletheyarethanmypictureof
them.IwishIcouldpresentthemtoyouinperson.ThelifeofourMiddle
Westissobigandvarious,souglyandsobeautifulthatonecannot
generalizeaboutit.Allonecandoistowriteofwhatcameagainstone’sown
door-step,sotospeak.(365)
9
Writingabout“whatcameagainstone’sowndoor-step,”Catherisassiduousnotto
caricaturethepeopleofwhomshewrites.InanotherlettertoherbrotherRoscoe,
sheexplainswittily,“Iknewthattherewasacommonwayofpresentingcommon
life,whichisworthless,andafinerwayofpresentingitwhichwouldbemuchmore
true.OfcourseAntonia’sstorycouldbetoldinexactlythesamejocular,familiar,
grapenutsywaythatMr.WhitethinksissoAmerican”(272).
CatherrespectsherheroineinMyAntonia.Shehassurvivedandthrivedin
theharshGreatPlainslandscape,withitsprolongedwinters,itsfierceheat,its
isolation,itsloneliness.Neartheconclusionofthenovel,JimBurdendescribes
Antoniaasachild,ayoungwoman,andnowanoldwoman.Hismemorycaptures
herinimagesfromherlifeontheplains:
Antoniakickingherbarelegsagainstthesideofmyponywhenwecame
homeintriumphwithoursnake;Antoniainherblackshawlandfurcap,as
shestoodbyherfather’sgraveinthesnowstorm;Antoniacominginwithher
work-teamalongtheeveningsky-line.Shelentherselftoimmemorial
humanattitudeswhichwerecognizebyinstinctasuniversalandtrue.Ihad
notbeenmistaken.Shewasabatteredwomannow,notalovelygirl;butshe
stillhadthatsomethingwhichfirestheimagination,couldstillstopone’s
breathforamomentbyalookorgesturethatsomehowrevealedthe
meaningincommonthings.Shehadonlytostandintheorchard,toputher
handonalittlecrabtreeandlookupattheapples,tomakeyoufeelthe
goodnessofplantingandtendingandharvestingatlast.(274-275)
10
ThelandscapeisAntonia;Antoniaisthelandscape.Whilethenovelcontains
somedescriptivepassageswhichportraythelandscape,Catheriscarefulnotto
overwritethem.ToaMissChapin,ofTheForum,sheexplains,“Ithinkit’srathera
mistaketoemphasizethelandscape—tomethatsuggestsornamentaldescriptive
writing,whichIhate”(385).
ConcernedthatherreadersappreciatetoomuchherdescriptionoftheGreatPlains,
shewritestoherfriendZoeAkins:“IwishIcouldgetridof‘atmosphere’andbe
anotherkindofwriterforawhile”(472).AndsheexplainstoStephenTennant,
“Nearlyallmybooksaremadeoutofoldexperiencesthathavehadtimetoseason.
Memorykeepswhatisessentialandletstherestgo.Iamalwaysafraidofwriting
toomuch—ofmakingstoriesthatarelikeroomsfullofthingsandpeople,withnot
enoughairinthem”(393).
Catherparticularlyresentedbeingdefinedasa“geographical”writer,and
sheloathedpeople’seffortstoadaptthenovelinonewayoranotherandtomake
filmversionsofthenovel.Regardinga“barbarouslyreconstructedversionof
‘Antonia,’shewrites,fuming,
Theladyhastriedtomakeitastoryofaction;nowitwasnevermeanttobea
storyofaction....Thenyoureducatorsgoandmakethistextasmuchlike
ZaneGreyaspossible.ThereconstructionbyMissHahnhasneitherZane
Grey’smeritsnormine....She[Antonia]madeherwaybybeingwhatsheis,
notbybeingthecompromiseherpublishershaveseveraltimestriedtomake
her.(478-479)
Twentyyearsafterthenovelwaspublished,CatherwritestoFerris
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Greenslet,complaining:
Whycan’tweletAntoniaalone?Shehasgoneherownwayquietlyandwith
somedignity,andneitheryounorIhavereasontocomplainofherbehavior.
Shewasn’tplayedupinthefirstplace,andsurelyacoming-outparty,after
twentyyears,wouldbealittlefunny.Ithinkitwouldbeallwrongtodress
herupandpushher.Wehavesavedherfromtextbooks,from
dismemberment,fromomnibuses,andnowletussaveherfromcolored
illustrations.Ilikeherjustassheis.(540)
Inoneofthemosttellinglettersintheentirecollection,Catherwritestoher
friendCarrierMinerSherwood,
thoughtherehavebeenmanyimitationsofAntoniaandsomeofthemgood,I
reallywastheonewhofirstbroketheground....Younevercangetit
throughpeoplesheadsthatastoryismadeoutofanemotionoran
excitement,andisnotmadeoutofthelegsandarmsandfacesofone’s
friendsoracquaintances....AsforAntonia,sheisreallyjustafigureupon
whichotherthingshang.Sheistheembodimentofallmyfeelingaboutthose
earlyemigrantsintheprairiecountry.”(492)
CatherlikesAntonia“justassheis”becausesheisastrongwoman,strong
enoughtobe“afigureuponwhichotherthingshang.”Sheisstrongenoughtobe
theembodimentoftheprairie,oflifeontheGreatPlains.
Inoneofherletterswrittenlateinherlife,Cathermusesonherlifefilled
withtravelasshewriterstoCarrieMinerSherwood:
Iamnotexaggerating,Carrie,whenIconfidetoyouthatIwouldrathergo
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hometoRedCloudthantoanyofthebeautifulcitiesinEuropewhereIused
tolovetogo....Iamsureyourealize,asmybrotherRoscoealwaysdid,that
thingshavealwayshitmeveryhard.IsupposethatiswhyIneverrunoutof
materialtowriteabout....IdonotsomuchinventasIrememberandrearrange.”(647)
InherGreatPlainsnovels,Catherremembersandre-arranges,sketchingthe
prairielandscapesshelovesandassociatingwiththemthewomenthatcallthose
landscapeshome.Insodoing,shefindsgreathappinessandprovidesherreaders
greathappinessaswell.AsshewrotetoBlanchKnopf,“It’salwaysajoytobeback
here—IgetmorethrillstothesquaremileoutofthiscornfieldcountrythanIcan
outofanyothercountryintheworld.”(332)
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WorksCited
Cather,Willa.MyAntonia.NewYork:Bantam,1918.
Cather,Willa.OPioneers!ANortonCriticalEdition.Ed.SharonO’Brien.NewYork:
Norton,2008.
Cather,Willa.TheSongoftheLark.NewYork:HoughtonMifflin,1915.
Jewell,Andrew,andJanisStout,eds.TheSelectedLettersofWillaCather.NewYork:
Knopf,2013.
Smallwood,Christine.“MakingaScene:WillaCather’sCorrespondence.”Harper’s.
May2013:86-90.