Plot
What happens to Emil's cat in the beginning of the book?
The cat gets stuck on top of a telegraph pole.
What is the name of the fictional town referenced in the book?
Hanover, Nebraska.
Who has a crush on Alexandra?
Carl Lindstrum.
What simple image does Alexandra use to describe what "reconciles [her]"? (page 63)
"What goes on in the world."
True or false: Willa Cather lived in Nebraska before writing O Pioneers!
True.
Who is murdered by Frank Shabata?
Emil Bergson and Marie Shabata.
What is the name of the prairie land that houses Alexandra's farm?
The Divide
What is the first and last name of Alexandra's father?
John Bergson.
On what image does the book end?
"the shining eyes of youth" (page 159)!
Flip through the pages to complete this quote:
"On my honor, Marie, if you will say you love me, I will..." (pages 7, 119, 68)
"...go away."
Who do Alexandra's brothers think the farm land truly belongs to?
Them—the men of the family.
Where did Marie live as a kid?
Omaha, Nebraska.
Her relationship with Carl, her success, and her unconventional ways.
Who is the Golden Man?
Someone Alexandra sees in her visions.
How old was Willa Cather when O Pioneers was published?
40.
How does Alexandra respond to Frank Shabata's murders?
She has compassion on him and commits to get him pardoned.
How much land does Alexandra own?
What does Alexandra's character represent?
Emotional strength, courage, and resolve.
Why is this phrased used to describe Emil:
"For two years the storm had been gathering in him" (page 91).
He wants Marie Shabata but cannot have her.
Why did Willa Cather write O Pioneers?
To, "to give [herself] up to the pleasure of recapturing in memory people and places [she'd] forgotten."
How did Amedee Chevalier die?
His appendix ruptured.
Where does Alexandra go in town during the beginning of the book?
The drug store.
What is Ivar worried about when he is over at Alexandra's?
That the town will think she's crazy just like how they think he's crazy.
What's the meaning of this description?
"One January day, thirty years ago, the little town of Hanover, anchored on a windy Nebraska tableland, was trying not to be blown away."
The town represents its inhabitants who are trying not to be blown away by forces.
Who was the president of the United States during the time in which the first chapter takes place in?
Grover Cleveland.