Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1.  What images or facts come to mind when you hear the word “pioneer”?

Teaching Suggestion: Students may have some ideas of pioneer life from social studies classes. This short answer question asks students to think about the images of “pioneers” that they may have already internalized and provides an opportunity to unpack the mythology surrounding them; you may segue into a discussion of why this era looms so large in American lore and whether its celebration is warranted.

• “America’s Westward Expansion”: This History Channel documentary on YouTube is a detailed look at the history of westward expansion and the role of the pioneer in developing new American territories and states.
• “Re-Inventing the Wheel: Nebraska’s Immigration History”: This article from the University of Nebraska discusses the history of immigration to the state through the present day.

2. How can symbols such as nature and weather help an author develop theme?

Teaching Suggestion: There are several layers to the story in this novel. One way to interpret Cather’s themes is through a careful examination of the work’s nature symbolism.