Characterization In Willa Cather's O Pioneers!: An Ecocritical Perspective

At the beginning of the 20^th century, a woman writer Willa Cather comes to the fore in America. She sets most of her stories on the western prairie. In her Nebraska novels, she sings the praises of the European immigrants toiling on the wild land, fighting bravely against the ruthless nature in an optimistic way. O Pioneers! is the first of her Nebraska stories. By the story, Alexandra plucks up courage, works against the cruel prairie and eventually embraces great success. Her success is reflected more in her consciousness of loving nature in pioneering, her rewards in terms of family, love and friendship and the ideal combination of the "ecological self and the "social self than in a large amount of wealth and an easy life.This thesis is divided into six chapters, with four chapters coming between the introduction and the conclusion. These four chapters go respectively to literature review and the crucial roles nature plays in forging personalities, human relationships and characters' destinies.The first chapter goes to a brief introduction to the beginning, development and main principles of ecocriticism and a detailed illustration of recent analyses and criticisms. The author finds that criticisms follow theoretical contexts. The feminist approach, the mythical and archetypal approach and the ecocritical approach stick out of a sea of criticisms. However, in the context of ecocriticism and harmony construction, no scholar stresses the ecological ideas hidden in this novel, not to mention its importance in propelling harmony construction. Based on the analyses of personalities, human relationships and characters' destinies, this thesis makes it clear that loving nature is a fresh impetus to harmony construction. The attitudes human beings hold towards nature affect their personalities, which then work on human relationships. Such personalities and relationships forged in nature will surely influence characters' destinies. Harmony between human beings and nature will contribute to harmony within human society, which will in return bring about harmony on a larger scale, or in the earth's ecosphere.The second chapter goes to personalities of different characters. Alexandra loves nature, lives close to nature and she keeps a personal relationship to land and nature. Pioneering is no enjoyment. Hardship turns Alexandra into a strong, independent and responsible woman. Carl is born cowardly, indecisive and melancholy. He loves land and nature. The brown earth gives him confidence and strength. He could never endure floating outside. Ultimately he returns to the dreamt land and there he finds himself. Emil is affectionate and persistent. He loves animals and the land on which he grows up. Marie is lively, energetic, enthusiastic, but resigned, indecisive and traditional. As personification of God and Nature, Ivar has chosen the simplest way of life. He stays close to nature and . worships nature. Behind so many nature-loving creatures, we are confronted with the other human beings represented by Oscar and Lou. They neglect the need of nature, and ravish nature oppressively. They are petty, vain, domineering, selfish, vulgar, unimaginative, and short-sighted.The third chapter deals with human relationships shaped by different attitudes and personalities. Just as the saying "birds of a feather flock together" goes, personalities, outlooks and values will certainly influence human relationships. Human relationships fall into three categories: family, love and friendship.By family relationships, different relationships within the Bergsons are explored. Emil and Alexandra understand, love, take care of and comfort each other. However, she never cultivates a good relationship with her two other brothers. Lacking in understanding and sympathy, they would rather sacrifice her love and happiness to money.Romantic relationships deal with three love stories. Alexandra and Carl develop a flat, profound and friendly romantic relationship. Emil and Marie's love is strong, sharp, but impulsive and tragic. Amedee's love is perfect, practical, beautiful, but transitory. Both Alexandra and Carl cherish love, sympathy, and understanding towards the Divide, land, and nature. They understand each other's happiness and sufferings, interests and needs, plights and dreams. Emil and Marie meet as children, understand each other, but miss Goddess Venus as if by an act of God. However, in the embrace of nature, they break the tentacles of society and regain their long-cherished love. Amedee and Angelique love each other and live happily, but Amedee violates and plunders nature by using machines. He is finally demanded as sacrifice by nature.Friendship includes Alexandra, Ivar, Marie, Carl, Oscar and Lou. Friendship is shaped in nature. Everlasting and deep friendship is forged by understanding of, sympathy with and love for nature. But for Oscar and Lou, friendship is burdensome, never important than money and disappears with plundering nature.The fourth chapter deals with the characters' destinies. Based on the analyses of personalities and relationships, it is concluded that the attitudes towards nature underlie characters' destinies. Similarly, personalities and relationships forged in nature play a very important role in determining characters' fates.In a word, O Pioneers! abounds in ecological ideas and it casts great inspiration on harmony construction between human beings and nature and harmony construction within human society. The author appeals for more attention to this novel. It is hoped that modern men understand the importance of nature, reconcile with nature and cooperate in harmony construction.