Week Two: Little House on the Prairie

"All I have told is true, but not the whole truth." --Laura Ingalls Wilder


As a young girl, I loved to watch Little House on the Prairie. What is it about the frontier that is so captivating and romantic? The show originated with the real Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series in 1932. Wilder wrote these books until she was 76 years old. I love the illustrations, which were done by Garth Williams. Laura and her family live in a Wisconsin forest at first. Here, they have no schools and grow vegetables, Wow! I cannot imagine living so isolated there is not even ha grocery store nearby. Then they travel in a covered wagon across the frozen Mississippi River to the Minnesota prairie.

Hollywood makes the frontier look so appealing. Perhaps, that is part of the intrigue. Every day after school, I would run home and watch this show. I would forget all my troubles as I watched Laura face mean old Nellie Oleson and life in Walnut Grove. I lived on a farm and also had to a gather eggs, feed chickens, and slop the hogs. But my chores were work, unlike Laura and Mary's fictitious ones. It was much more entertaining to watch someone else do farm chores. But it was the interesting plot and positive family that kept me watching it, week after week.

I remember reading Little House in the big Woods. Jack was such a good dog and had to swim in the creek or drown. I am sure my love for the television show was established while I read the Little House books. My mother stayed at home with my siblings and me, sewing many of our clothes. We did not live in a cabin or on the prairie, but we had a garden, chores, and animals to take care of. I adored Laura Ingalls and still enjoy watching the show today.

The books and television series influenced me in many ways. In my wedding, I had two flower girls who wore sunbonnets and dresses just like the ones that Mary, Laura, and Carrie wore to church. I believe Laura was an early feminist because she thought for herself and was a homesteader. Obviously, she had to be a strong woman to endure the hard life on the frontier.

The Little House books were based on Wilder's childhood in her pioneer family. She lived from 1867-1957. Life was very hard during this time; nevertheless, Wilder survived. The First Four Years is a manuscript that was discovered after Rose Wilder died and contains some of the hardships she lived through.

She and her husband, Almonzo, suffered severe drought, hunger, and lost a son soon after his birth in 1889. Almonzo also had diphtheria and became partially paralyzed. Wilder's story is inspiring and helps me to appreciate the television shows even more. I catch the reruns from time to time and am reminded of my childhood once again.

Here is a link to the television show and theme song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO72KBtUmHk