Posted by Arwen Mosher in Family on Saturday, August 30, 2008 9:59 PM
Inspired by our recent celebration of re-reading, I’m delving back into Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books. I enjoy these books but they’re not favorite re-reads of mine, and I’d guess it’s been nearly a decade since I last read through them. This means I’m looking at them through adult eyes for the first time.
From the beginning of Little House in the Big Woods, I was struck by the appealing way in which Wilder portrays the structure of the family. Pa goes out hunting or gathering food to provide for his family. Ma tends to the house, prepares meals for her family, and makes and repairs their clothing. The children help their mother and strive to be good children and obey their parents. Why do they work so hard? Certainly - on the parents’ part at least - there is an awareness of the basic need to survive, but it is clear in the text that their main motivator is love for one another. They work for their family because it is the center of their lives.
I especially noticed one scene in Little House in the Big Woods. Pa is telling Laura and Mary a nursery-rhyme tale about a man whose wife skimmed the milk so meanly that her poor husband got thin enough to blow away in the wind.
Then Pa looked at Ma and said, “Nobody’d starve to death when you were around, Caroline.”
“Well, no,” Ma said. “No, Charles, not if you were there to provide for us.”
Pa was pleased.
There’s a simple beauty in such a scene between a husband and wife, and it’s a good example for me.
Modern life is more complex than Little House life. When my husband goes out to work for the day, he doesn’t come home with meat he killed himself. It makes it easy for me to forget that he’s doing, in essence, the same basic thing that Pa Ingalls was doing when he strapped his gun on his back and went off to find game to shoot: providing for his family.
Though the substance is a little different, the act is exactly the same. And while I do appreciate what my husband does for us, I often fail to tell him so. I expect him to appreciate (and compliment) the meals I put on the table, but don’t mention that I appreciate his working for the money to buy the food in the first place. He deserves that thanks, just as much as if he’d shot the meat himself.
With Ma and Pa Ingalls as my examples, I hope to do better in the future.
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Coincidentally, I just re-read the Little House books a few weeks ago, also reading them through adult eyes for the first time! I found myself looking for ways to take their life of survival and simplicity and their appreciation for all their blessings and apply it to my very pampered modern life.
Oh, how I love the Ingalls! I am forever impressed by the lessons that are built into these entertaining stories in ways that we all can appreciate—grown ups and young children alike.
Like you, Arwen, I especially love the little loving snippets Laura shares of her parents’ relationship. It might not all be remembered EXACTLY as it was, but it’s the spirit of their relationship that Laura captures so beautifully. And that, I am convinced, was real.
Excellent article! I agree, I don’t tell my husband enough how much I appreciate all of his hard work to provide for our family. Thank you for reminding me to do it more often!
I also enjoy reading the Little House series because of the focus on the family.
We are HUGE Ingalls fans here...and my 3 sons enjoy having them read aloud which thrills me to no end. We read at least one chapter a night before bed all snuggled in the “big bed” then it’s off to brush teeth & get tucked in while the baby is sleeping. I’m looking fwd to sharing these same stories with her as she grows.
I also use them as examples for my children, reminding them that Laura & Mary would have NEVER argued or talked back to Ma or Pa because it just was not acceptable. There are MANY teaching moments in those amazing books.
And, yes, Arwen, you are right...and I am thrilled that in the quiet that is here right now (hubby has all the kids out w/him), I was able to read your article & look at the upcoming week in a whole new way. Maybe dh will appreciate it too. ; ) God bless!!!
Oh I love the Little House books! I read them all day and when I am done with the series I will read them again.
I am Danielle Bean’s kid. (hehehe)
Little House Books are AWESOME! Like Juliette, I’ll read them ALL day. By the way, that’s cool you found a picture of Ma and Pa, I’ve always wondered what they looked like.
P.S. I’m Kateri (one of Danielle Bean’s kids)
Okay girls, time to get off the computer.
We just finished LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE and my kids truly enjoyed it… although I think they’re getting a bit tired of me using Laura Ingalls as an example for so many situations!
I have to ask, is that picture really Charles and Caroline Ingalls?
I love that Danielle’s kids are leaving comments on my post! Hi, girls!
And Ouiz - that picture is Charles and Caroline Ingalls. I found it on Wikipedia, and it’s public domain in the United States. I hope you like it!
I’m rereading “Big Woods” with my younger girls right now. I’ve also picked up a “handful” of nuggets from the Little House books and love revisiting them.
Oh I love Ma and Pa--and they aren’t flawless either. Ma is quick to judge and act in fear and Charles often allows his restless spirit and rebellion against civilization to upset his wife and children. She sees their pain and longing for other lives (Ma, a quiet town life with church and school, Pa, a wild and solitary life at the edges of civilization) and, without explicitly noting it, documents their sacrifice and compromise.
I can’t wait for my daughters to be old enough to enjoy these books with me again. And hopeful a few more agains after that…
It’s good to based family values on such foundations as these books. We rarely appreciate how much these simple traditional stories affect children’s outlook on life.
I came across this this morning - it was linked on the homepage of the National Archives - and thought some of you might find it interesting, since I remembered this discussion.
http://www.archives.gov/global-pages/larger-image.html?i=/historical-docs/doc-content/images/homestead-proof-a-wilder-l.jpg&c;=/historical-docs/doc-content/images/homestead-proof-a-wilder.caption.html
It’s Almanzo Wilder’s homestead claim. I’ve never been so excited by the day’s featured document!
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