O Pioneers

Write a blog that is an excerpt from Alexandra’s diary. Use page numbers at the end of each entry so that I know exactly where you are in the text for each.

Dearest Diary,

I have come to a realization. I have come up with the idea that will save us all. I realized it when I visited the river farms. I learned so much from the people there, about their crops, their poultry, and even talked to a young man who was growing a new type of clover hay. But as soon as Emil and I started on our journey back to The Divide, I realized how wonderful our land is. Not only because The Divide has just as much to offer, but because this is Dad’s land. The land he gave to me to take care of. As soon as I saw our land, I began to swell with happiness. I couldn’t control the wide grin that spread across my face, I’m sure Emil was curious as to why. I even began to hum! Hum! It’d been a while that I felt this sure and positive that things would work out.

That afternoon, when we arrived at home, I called a family council. I told my brothers about what I saw and tried to convince them that the river farms didn’t even compare to what we had here in The Divide. Before I talked to them, I came up with a solution in my head. We could sell our cattle and the little amount of corn we had left and buy the Linstrum place. Then we could take out two loans and buy Peter Crow’s place, continue to raise all the money we can, and buy ever acre we can lay our hands on. It was bound to work! Once I presented this idea to Lou and Oscar, they responded furiously. I was so prepared for them to be shocked by the idea, but I didn’t expect this. I still felt like I could convince them, that if we followed my plan, everything would work out, but I remember becoming increasingly nervous with every exclaimed response.

The thing my brothers don’t understand is that I don’t want them to work like dogs forever. I want us to all work together, even though the times are hard, and come out on top in the end. This is the time to get ahead. And that is what I realized when I visited the river farms. A little while later, I saw Oscar go outside for a pail of water. I anxiously awaited his return, hoping we could talk further about my plans. When he did not come back, I ran outside to find him. He told me that he didn’t want to sign any more papers, to grow deeper into debt. I tried to tell him that I didn’t want him to work forever, that this was just the beginning to a prosperous end. He left me a little while after that. I took the time to sit under the stars and breathe in the exhilaration of a new beginning. This is where I write to you from. I can hear the creatures of the land whisper to one another, I can see the starts twinkling, lighting the page in which I write my inner most thoughts on. I think this will be good. This is what Dad would have done. He wouldn’t have wanted me to pick up and abandon what we have so rightfully worked hard for. No, I will stay here and make you proud, Dad. This is the moment that everything begins to change. I can promise you that.

With best wishes for the future,
Alexandra



WORK CITED

Cather, Willa. O Pioneers. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 2003. Print.

(Utilized pages 35-38)