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I think most of us have read the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and if I had to bet, I'd say most people like them and think they are a positive influence in life.
However, there are many people today who are taking a closer look at the books. Obviously, some things in the books would never have made it to the printed page today simply because of the times these books were written in. But there are other, deeper things in the books that are starting to bother people.
What are some of the things that bother you, if any, in the Little House books? Come at it from any angle you like. You can take the books at face value, or allude to the real happenings behind the stories, or extend what you know about the Ingalls family after the last book was written. You might also take into account that Laura's daughter was said to have done a great deal of ghost writing the stories, and many of her opinions were put into the books.
Just as an example, when it comes to taking the books as they were written, the one thing that always bothered me about the Ingalls family was everyone constantly deferred to Mary just because she was blind. She always had a seat, she always had the warmest place at the stove. The whole family seemed to revolve around her. Granted, she was sick for a long time and her blindness must have been a shock to her family. Yet why didn't her parents encourage her to do for herself as a functioning family member instead of treating her as an invalid, even after she recovered from her illness?
I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on this and other things as well.
I think most of us have read the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and if I had to bet, I'd say most people like them and think they are a positive influence in life.
However, there are many people today who are taking a closer look at the books. Obviously, some things in the books would never have made it to the printed page today simply because of the times these books were written in. But there are other, deeper things in the books that are starting to bother people.
What are some of the things that bother you, if any, in the Little House books? Come at it from any angle you like. You can take the books at face value, or allude to the real happenings behind the stories, or extend what you know about the Ingalls family after the last book was written. You might also take into account that Laura's daughter was said to have done a great deal of ghost writing the stories, and many of her opinions were put into the books.
Just as an example, when it comes to taking the books as they were written, the one thing that always bothered me about the Ingalls family was everyone constantly deferred to Mary just because she was blind. She always had a seat, she always had the warmest place at the stove. The whole family seemed to revolve around her. Granted, she was sick for a long time and her blindness must have been a shock to her family. Yet why didn't her parents encourage her to do for herself as a functioning family member instead of treating her as an invalid, even after she recovered from her illness?
I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on this and other things as well.
Mary was doted upon until she went away to school (I believe it was the Iowa School for the Blind?). When she came home for a visit she moved about with confidence and impressed them with her abilities.
As a blind person, it is still truly common for family and friends to "hover". Before I went to a Blind School I was really frightened and preferred to stay in one spot so that there was less chance of me falling, bumping into people or things and causing a mess.
I only vaguely remember the story lines of the books, since I was so young when I read them. At the time I was certainly not aware of anything about the books that must bother people today. However, wondering whether Laura Ingalls Wilder's daughter added to her mother's narrative now a matter of debate.
There isn't anything in the books that bother me. I've actually been skimming through them again the last few days, trying to choose one as part of my daughter's homeschool curriculum this year.
I actually have a new appreciation now as an adult of how Wilder approaches the many harships the family faces---illness, disability, the weather, financial hardship, etc. I find Wilder to be very matter of fact about the crises they face, without sugarcoating or being overtly melodramatic.
Also Wilder points to the many times that Laura feels jealous, angry, disobedient, etc. in a way that a child can relate to. Mary is set up as the "good" daughter, while Laura more frequently gives in to normal human temptation. Whether this reflects reality or is a convenient literary construct doesn't really matter...it is effective.
My favorite part of each book is always the sections about Christmas. The way Wilder captures the childrens' joy with the simple gifts they receive is a beautiful reminder of the spirit of Christmas.
My favorite book of the series is "These Happy Golden Years".
After re-reading these as an adult, I don't think very highly of "Pa." He drug his wife and children all over the country and seemed to rely more on luck than having a definite plan. It seemed to me he was thinking more about himself and not his family. He lost more than one house and years of work. I think those girls were hungry more often than was told.
I've done other reading and Carrie had severe health problems the rest of her life after the Long Hard Winter, as I'm sure all the girls did also.
Some people just have to look for ways to be offended.
It's been way too many years since I read the books/watched the show. I don't recall being offended. Or disturbed. Or any of the emotions being displayed by too many people these days.
OP: The assumption that *most of us* have read these books is simply not true.
I have never read them and will never read them.
As far as anything that *bothers* anyone, why does that matter? The family story has no affect on anyone outside of the family, it happened far in the past, it cannot be changed, and until you yourself live in the same time/place as this family
you and no one else really knows *exactly* what life was like on a daily basis so there is no solid basis to judge this family.
After re-reading these as an adult, I don't think very highly of "Pa." He drug his wife and children all over the country and seemed to rely more on luck than having a definite plan. It seemed to me he was thinking more about himself and not his family. He lost more than one house and years of work. I think those girls were hungry more often than was told.
I've done other reading and Carrie had severe health problems the rest of her life after the Long Hard Winter, as I'm sure all the girls did also.
It's the story of a family. They weren't perfect. As for losing homes, frequently moving as well as dealing with other hardships and illness, that's how much of this country was settled. People took large risks for the opportunity to have more and for their children to have more. Sometimes it worked out and sometimes it didn't.
I think that's a big part of the popularity of the series - it does show the hardships many faced during that time. It showed a family surviving.
Last edited by maciesmom; 09-07-2017 at 11:50 AM..
I wouldn't go so far as to say this disturbed me, though it has stuck in my memory (which is getting harder and harder to do). I remember reading that Laura's dog Jack walked under the wagon when the family was moving from one place to another. I worried about Jack when I was little.
It's been so long since I read them that I don't remember specifics. I heard an interview with writer Rebecca Traister (I think) where she talked about reading the books with her young daughter and getting to a part in one of them where Laura goes to visit one of her friends and finds out that the 13-year-old girl isn't there because she had gotten married. Just thinking about the difference between the lifestyle of a young teenager at that time and now is amazing.
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