Laura Ingalls Wilder and Women in 19th-Century Westward Expansion

Introduction

Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote a series of books centered on her childhood in 19th-century United States, particularly regarding her family's experience of westward expansion during that period. Perhaps one reason her books are so loved — and even formed the basis for a successful television series — is that they present an almost nostalgic view of westward expansion. However, whether by design or negligence, her writing disregards some key, darker elements of women's importance and challenges during that era. On the whole, Wilder's writing is a shortsighted, white-centered, and whitewashed tale that neglects a great deal of the richness that women contributed to, and endured during, westward expansion.

Historical Background

The central historical issue is Laura Ingalls Wilder's partially accurate version of westward expansion set against the darker, richer reality of women involved in that movement. Wilder certainly touches on some aspects that are supported by other historical sources; however, she either ignores or is unaware of other genuine dimensions of women's experience during 19th-century western expansion.

What Wilder Gets Right

Laura Ingalls Wilder's family moved to De Smet, South Dakota, when Laura was eleven or twelve years old (Brammer & Greetham, 2008). The chapter titled "Moving In" in Little House on the Prairie describes their experiences and hard work after relocating to De Smet. The chapter accurately conveys the Great Prairie's vastness, wildness, loneliness, and possible dangers (DuBois & Dumenil, 2016, pp. 351–3; Wilder, 1953, pp. 54, 68, 79). In addition, Wilder truthfully depicts the hard work and generally sparse, difficult lives of westward settlers (DuBois & Dumenil, 2016, pp. 361–2; Wilder, 1953, pp. 61, 65, 68, 72, 79). The somewhat enviable simplicity and scarcity of pioneer life is also illustrated in her work (Wilder, 1953, pp. 65, 74–5, 78). It is little wonder that Wilder's books are cherished by many Americans, as evidenced by the numerous sites dedicated to her work that remain active to this day.

Conclusion

Laura Ingalls Wilder's work is a highly popular series of books documenting the westward expansionism of the 19th century. In some respects, the high regard given to her work is justified. She accurately portrays several aspects of the westward expansionist woman's life, including the Great Prairie's vastness, wildness, loneliness, and possible dangers; the hard work and generally sparse, difficult lives of westward settlers; and the somewhat enviable simplicity and scarcity of pioneer existence. However, Wilder's work either ignores or is ignorant of several strongly influential elements during westward expansion that were just as impactful on the lives of expansionist women.

Those elements include, but are not limited to: the westward movement of women as missionaries determined to convert Native Americans to Christianity, an enterprise often pursued in ignorance and resulting in rejection or even death; the near-powerlessness of female westward expansionists, who could not buy or sell property, divorce their husbands, serve on any jury, or vote; prostitution as often the only female presence in mining towns and ranches; the exceedingly violent and bloody battles waged in the West over slavery during Bleeding Kansas and beyond; and the systematic murder and sexual violence directed against Native American women by western expansionists. In short, the beloved westward expansion portrayed in Wilder's work is stripped of the darker realism of that era, particularly as it was experienced by the women who dared to venture westward during the 19th century.

References

A&E Television Networks, LLC. (2016). Bleeding Kansas. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/bleeding-kansas

A&E Television Networks, LLC. (2016). The fight for women's suffrage. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/the-fight-for-womens-suffrage

Bailey, F. S. (1891). Twenty years of gleaning: A historical sketch of the Woman's Baptist Foreign Missionary Society. Boston: Woman's Baptist Foreign Missionary Society.

Boundless.com. (2016). Women in the West. Retrieved from https://www.boundless.com/u-s-history/textbooks/boundless-u-s-history-textbook/the-westward-movement-and-manifest-destiny-1812-1860-15/manifest-destiny-119/women-in-the-west-637-766/

Brammer, R., & Greetham, P. (2008). De Smet, South Dakota. Retrieved from http://www.liwfrontiergirl.com/

Burns, K. (Director). (1996). The West [Motion Picture].

DuBois, E. C., & Dumenil, L. (2016). Through Women's Eyes: An American History with Documents (4th ed.). New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Kaye, F. W. (2000, Spring). Little squatter on the Osage diminished reserve: Reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's Kansas Indians. Great Plains Quarterly, 20(s), 123–140. Retrieved from digitalcommons.unl.edu.

Keller, R. S., Reuther, R. R., & Cantlon, M. (2006). Encyclopedia of women and religion in North America (Vol. 2). Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

Roppolo, K. (2006). The real problem with Indian mascots. Retrieved from http://www.drvalverde.com/uploads/1/0/5/3/10538520/real_problem_with_native_american_mascots.pdf

Rutter, M. (2005). Upstairs girls: Prostitution in the American West. Helena: FarCountry Press.

Sangster, M. M. (1877). A manual of the missions of the Reformed (Dutch) Church in America. New York: Board of Publication of the Reformed Church in America.

Steinmetz, E. H. (1910). Reminiscences: Being a record of five and twenty years' progress in the Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society of the United Evangelical Church. Harrisburg: United Evangelical Publishing.

Wilder, L. I. (1953). Little House on the Prairie (Little House, No. 3). New York: HarperCollins Children's Books.