Proeeeding of the I $'ELITE Conference

Vol. l: 0n Linguistics and Literature

Edito rs:

Miftahul Huda

Ahmad Ghozi

Published b},:Maulana Malik lbrahim State lslamic university 0f lllalang

in cooperation with Naila Puslaka lnc.

Procee$U of the 1s ELITE Conlerence

Vol. l:0n Linguistics and Literature

THE MULTIFACETED DIMENSIONS OF LINGUISTICS,

LITERATURE, AND LANGUAGE TEACHING

copyright @ 2014. All rights reserved,

No part of this publication may be r€produced or dlslributed in any form

or by any means, or stored in a database or relrieval 6rstem, without

the pdor writi€n p€rmissior of lho publisher and the writers.

Edllor3:

Miflahul Huda

Ahmad Gho2l

Deslga Covet

Robait Usman

Fir6l prinled 2014

tsBN 97G602-1230-01-9

Publbhed by:Maulana Malik lbrahim Stale lslafiic lJniversity of Malang

in cooperation with Naila Pustaka lnc.

Prlnted ln:Naila Pustaka

Jl. Kemutug 32 Ring Road Solatan

Banguntapan - Bantul Yogyakarta 55191

Hp:081 555 788 5$email: naila.pustaka@gmail.com

'ru1

l

I PRESERVING THE LEGACY OF THE AMERICAN

FRONTIER IN WILDER'S I,'TTLE HOUSE ON THE

PRAIRIE

f itien Dia h Soe I i stya fi ni

Airlangga University

A. lntroduction

The westward expansion of the United States is one of the defining

themes of lgth-century American history. The expansion i5 commonly

deflned as th€ moverient of people especially the white settlers from the

settled land in the eastern part of Ameriaan continent to the uninhibited

Iand on the west. As more and n]o.e influxof immigrants during the 18ih

a n d 1 grh centu ry had overcrowded Am erica n territo ry along the east coast,

there w'ar a growing demarrd io open new lands for these settler5.

However, the need for rew land was endless as many of the pioneers

stayed only a few years before aoltinuing lvestward in search of cheaper

and more feffile lani (Tindall & shi 2007: 321). This ,novement had

coniiantly pllt theae pioneers on the outer border and in Cireaf contact

with the wildernes! ihal in the context of Ameiican history wal termed as

the"frontierl

The idea of the frontier as a significant factor in the course of the

American history was first suggested by a young historian Frederick

jackson Turner In Ihe Significonce af the Frcntier in American History 119201,

Turner asserts that from the conditions of frontiei life came inteliectual

traits of profound importance. The works of travelers along each frontier

from colonial days onurard describe certain common traitt and these

traits have, !vhile soFtening down, stiil persi3ted as survivals in the place of

their origin, even when a higher social organization succeeded. The tesult

496 i,ro&erln(0iLrj I.FLlT&ife€r.e ltd I an Lfttlilli.x atl Ltr aiuft

is that to the frontier the American intellect owes its striking

characte stics- According to Turner, that coarseness and strength

combined with acuteness and inquisitiveness; that practical, inventive

turn of mind, quick to find expedients; that masterful grasp of material

things, lacking in the artistic but powerful to effect great ends; that

restless, nervous energy; thai dominant individualism, working for good

and for evil, and that buoyancy and exuberance which comes with

freedom - these are traits of the frontier, or traits called out elsewhere

because of the existence ofthe frontier.

The significant role that the f.ontier has played in shaping American

cultural values is also suggested by Datesman, Crandall & Kearny (2005:

73) believing that the frontier has set an inspiring example of ha{d work

dedicated by the pioneers who have turned the face of America from

wilderness into small towns, and later into biq cities-The life in the frontier

has also contribLrted the values of self-reiiance and individLral freedom, as

well as the inventiveness and can do spirit that weie among the must-

have characteristias for the pioneers in order to survive in the frontier.

Hence, for Afieriaans the frontier is not only literally understood as the

borderline between civilization represented by the eastern territory and

wilderness represented by the western territory srnce the frontier did not

die out as the far westei frontier was settled only a quarter ccntury after

the westlvard expansion started. ln fact, the legacy of the frontier

continues to iive on as many Americans today are still allured by the

frontier as reflected through the popular;ty of literary works, movies and

television shows that romanticize the theme ofthe American frontiet

One of the well-known works in American literature that raises the

theme ofAmerican frontier life in the l9'h century is an autobiographical

novel Liftle Hause on the Prdir€ written by Laura lngalls Wilder This

histcrical fiction dedicated for children has becorne a very popular novel

in America. lt is one of Wilders series of novels kncwn as the little Houie

6ookt which has re.eived many awards and become a source ofinspiration for a TV drama series flearing the same title airing from 1974 to

1983. As an authot Wilder has also received numerous awardt and as an

rrrtrnlnq Lt n€ I'tLrIL ftnieEnce Lll IarLho stadrnOaaltte 497

honor and recognition for her work, the American Library Association

even uses her name for an awaad given every three years to authors and

illustrators who have given a great and everlasting cont bution to

children's literature (Mayer 2009).

Portraying the life of a pioneer family in the frontier, which is

uniquely American, Wildet's Little Houte on the Prode is not only popular

among Amedcan audience. lt also gains popularity with children

worldwide as it has been translated into many different languages. The

ups and downs in the life of the lngalls set on the wilderness of the

frontier have made th;s novel interesting to study in order to gain a befter

understandinE ofthe American culturalvalues as one of the great legacies

of the American frontier. To further examine the relevance of these

inherjted values for the contemporary American society and the values

they adhere tc, this study applies the sociology of literature, in which

according to Eagleton (1988:469) literature is vieweC in en important

sense as a social product. Accordingly, there are two main ways in which

an interest in the socjology of literature can be justified, ie. realist and

pragmatist. For the realist, literature is in fact deeply conditioned by its

social context, and any critical account of it which omits this fact is

therefore automaticaliy deficient. l\4eanwhile, for the pragmatist, literature

is in fact shapeC by ali kinds offactors and readable in all sorts of contexts,

but highlighting its social determinants is useful and desirable from a

particular political standpoint. Thus, through the lens of sociology of

literature, this study will be able to analyze Wilder's novel as a social

proCuct by examining its social context that reflects the social condition of

the society portrayed in the novel as well as the present-day society who

still tak,"s pleasure in reading this novel.

1. Frontier!AnA(culturation olCivilizationandWilderne5s

Frontier as the meeting point between civilization and wilderness is

clearly portrayed in the story of the lngalls, even right from the beginning

Opened with the chapter titled "Going WesL" the novel has given a

..""1 , F .a tj a1ln d

foreshadowing of the imminent contact between two cultures through

the moving of the lngalls from their little house in the Big Woods,

Wisconsin.

A long time ago, when all the grundfothets and grcndmothers oftodoy werc little boys and little gi s ot vety small babies, ot pehops

not even bom, Pa and Ma ond Mary and Laura and Baby Ca e leftthei little house in the Big Woods of wsconsin They drcve away and

Ieft it lonely and empty in the cleaing among the big trees, ond they

never saw that fittle house ogain.

They werc going to the lndian country, (Wilder 2004: l)

Laura assumes that their moving westlvard is heading to the lndian

territory. Experiencing such a journey is so unique and unusual that it

arouses a curiosity for a five-year-old girl like Laura. She even ifuants to

meet tndians, thus, she dces not stop asking questions about them to his

fathet, Pa,"What is a papoose?" and Pa replies, A papoose is a little, btuwn,

lndian baby" (u/ilder 2004: 6). Laural cu.iosity, according to Romines

(1997: 45), shows thal "her conscious frontier experience has begunl

Hence, as a child growing in the frontier, Laura undeniably experiences a

process of interaciion with an r-Jnfamiliar culture. As the representation of

civilization, the Anglo-American culture has become a part of the lngails

since they lived in Wisconsin. However, thek moving westward has made

them encounter a different culture, especially that of the lndians who

representthe wilderness in this novel.

Nevertheless, not all Fiembers of the lngalls share the same

enthusiasm towards the lndian as Laura. Her mother, Ma, especially does

not like Laura's inqLriryaboutthe lndian.

'Whete iso papoose, Mo?"Laurc asked.

"Don't speakwithyow mouth full, Loutu: taid Ma.

So Loutu chewed ond swallowed, and she said, "l want to see a

papoose:'

"Mercy on us!" Ma said.'Whatever mokesyou want to see lndians?We will see enough of them. Morc than we want ta, I wouldn'twondet." (Wildet 2A04 46)

t'need Jr{] ol tre 1! Ft nt Ltils.ne bl 1: 0n I i\Lislix atu1 Litaztft

Laurat curiosity is finally paid off when she meets Wvo lndians

coming to their house a5 told in the chapter"lndians in the House.,,Laura

describes these lndians and herfeeling when she finally meetsthem.

Fig.t. First encounter with thelndian in the frontleriwilder2004: :39)

... she saw two naked, wild

men coming, one behind the

otheL on the Indian ttuil-

They wete tall, thin, fierce-

looking men. Theh skin was

brownith rcd. Thetu heods

seemed to go up to o peok, and

the peak was a tuft of hah that

stood stroight up and ended in

feothers. Their eyes wete biack

and still and glifte ng, like

sndke's eyes.

"lndions!" Mary whispeted.

Laura was shiveing; thete wos a

ciueet leeling in her middle ond

the bones in het legs felt weok.

She wanted to tit dawn. But she

stood and laoked 6nd woited fotthose lndians to come out fiombeyand the house. The Indians

did not do rhdt (Wilder 2004:

134_13s).

This frightening description of the lndian from a child,s point of view, fornovelist and Washington Post reporter Dennis McAuliffe who descendedfrom the Osage lndian, does not portray the reality and tends to promotenegative stereotypes of Indians associated as barbaric, brutal and blood-

ProEd ng ol he I ! EL Tt Ornteldre Val I hL.grxL',atJLit GniP

thirsty. The.eforq he considers this novel misleading for children in

understanding the history of the frontier Unllke McAuliffe Romines (1997:

51) views this extremely complex scene as an attempt to convey, from a

white girl's viewpoint to a readership of children, the extraordinary

stresses and tensions that burdened even the simplest contact betlveen

Euro-American females and lndian men.These tvvo opposing opinions are

understandably resulted from two different cultural backgrounds, one as

lndian and the other as white.

Yet, for Laura, her great curiosity has made her see the lndian as

both appealing as well as frightening. The chapter"The Tall lndian" shows

both portrayal5 through two contacts with the lndian who come to their

house. The first .ontact is with the Osage lndian, who according to Pa is

quite friendly although they do not share a ve.bal communication due totheir inability to understand each othert languages. Then. the second

contact with tlvo lndians who come when Pa is outto town is descdbed as

quite frightening for the lngalh'women because these lndians take theirbelongings even though they do no physical assault. Meanwhile, fo. other

characters in the novel who previouily had an unpleasant encounter withthe Indian, such as lr4rs. Scot,

"The only good lndion was adead lndion.Thevety thought of lndiansmade het blood tun cold" (Wlder 2004: 211).

The adaptation to the frontier life thar white settlers like the lngalls

have to deal with involves a process of accultLlration between the culture

they have brought along with them and the new culture they just

encounter in the new land that is necessary to ensure their survival in thefrontier Even though the whites often assurne that they come from a

higher civilization than the lndians, in many things these settlers have toadopt and adapt the Indian way of life. ln this case, the lngails is no

exception. ln order to make a living for his farnily, Pa has to hunt for food,just like the lndians. Frequently, Pa also keeps fur or animal skin fo. his

familyto use.

Pr@ediry ol hc 1' tL lL CrnleEne VdtArt;,!t^!)tlLntu te

Lourc held the edge of the rubbit skin while Po's keen knife ipped itoff the nbbit meot. "l'll solt this skin and peg it out on the house wall

to dtyi' he soid. "lt witt make a wam fu cap fot some little gitl to wear

next wintet:' (Wildet 2004: 1 45)

This habit is not far removed from what the lndians commonly do

with their qame. Correspondingl, Walsh (2006:124) states that the

settlement of western lands also involved a 5ocio cultural development

process in which migrants and immigrants adapted to new environments

by adopting different habits or modirying their patterns of behavior.

lvloreover, the lngallE house also has a fireplace on the floor and a

chimney in the root which is similar to the tndians' even though the

ingalls, especialfy Ma, is not willing to admit thal."lf we wanted to live like

ln.iians, you could make a hole in the roof ta let the smoke out, and we'd ha\e

the firc on the floot inside the house: toid Ma. "lndians do:' (Wildet 2004:76).

Their reluctance to assume simi:arity with the lndian cnce again confirms

Ma's attempts to draw a cultural line between civilization (the

lngalls/white settlers) and wilderness (the lndians)

2, The Cultu.alValues ofthe Frontier

The hard stiuqqle for life in the frontier has given a great impact on

the whiie settlers who dreamed of a better l;fe. A5 Datesrnan, Crandall &

Kearny {2005) suggest, there have been numerous inspiring example5 of

American traditionalv3lues rooted from the frontier life in the 'l9th century.

Furthermore, according to Walsh {20C6:125), many frontier traits has

become American traits because the frontier experience was transmitted

both qeographically across space and historically through time. This

perfectly fits with Wilde.! novel l/ft/e Houte on the Prcirie lhat also

portrays some American traditional values that include:

Fh.ccnlnq oi rl e lrlLTtC.niecno I Vd.l:O) lig,isLlr md Lknltne

a. HardWorkand Self-Reliance

The lngalls' struggle forlife has even started since they

begin their journey. long before

they find a free land to settle. In

the chapter "Crossinq the

CreeK" they must face their first

trial of hardship when theirwagon is nearly carried away by

the swift current so that Pa has

to jump into the river to lead

the horses. The family can get

through it although they have

to lose Jack their beloved dog,

which does not ride on thewagon when they are crossing

the .reek. Eventually, Jack isreunited with the family a few

days later after he safely swims

to cross the areek

Fi9.3. Pa is trying to help Ma

as the heavy lo9 falls on her.

The sparse population in thefrontier inevitably forces settlers torely on no one but themselves. The far

distance between houses and theabsenci of government aids in times

of need have also taught them a

lesson on self-reliance. All ofthese are

clearly portrayed in the life of thelngalls in Wilder's Liftle House on the

Prai e. When they finally reach theprairie and decide to seftle there, they

have to work hard without countinq

on assistance from others to build

Fig.2. Pa leads Pet and Patty to cross

the creek Wilder 2004: 22)

P.o.€edii0 ol lhc I " Ft TI CrnierenE Vol. l: At LhE]i\ti.ll ad I itffitft

Milder 2004: 60) their own house. Even with only two

adult members of the familt Pa dan

N{a, there is no othet option for a

woman like Ma except to work hard to

help Pa building their dream house.

This undoubtedly show that

traditional gender roles between man

and woman, as commonly held bY

American family of that era, hasto be

temporarily sacrificed in the frontierfor a greater cause, which is achieving

their dream of a better life. ln this novel, Ma is described as almost fainted

when a heavy pjece of log fall and nearly hit her \irhen she is helping Pa to

put the logs for theirwall.

The hard work and selfjeliance as shown by Ma and Pa are an

ev.ample of American values rooted in the frontiet As Datesman, Crandall

& Kearny (2005:74) state that the settiers have to be self relidnt without

depending on others. Eoth men and wolnen who live in the frontier often

have to build their own house, go hLinting, plant crops foi their own

needs. Inevitabl, they also selv their own clcthes and produce their own

household utenslls. The sanre thing is also done by the lngalls when

settling in the frcnlier That oftemoon l,4a sat sewing in fhe shade of the

house, and Eaby Ca e played on the quilt beside her, while Lauro and Mory

wot hed Pa build the fhepl@ce (Wilder 2004: 1 13). They have to work hard

r-o fulfillfor their own needs without getting any help

The valLies of hard work and self-reliance as an integ.al part ofthe

frontier life are not only attdbtlted to men and adults. Frontier women are

also required to possess the same tlaits as represented by the character of

N4a. Accordingly, Mauk & Oakland (2005:73) stale that contradictory tc the

conventional view of women, on the western frontier women! skills were

as essential as men's and the scarcity of women meant they could not be

pampered. N{oreover, frontier children, j{lst Iike Laura, has also been

tauqht by their parents to be self-reliant by giving them responsibilities to

lroc€€dlnq oi hc li EL II lnnlsen@ 1 Vd.lAn UngiriLj aad LiLntE

do chores that fit for their age and competence. Mary and Laura as big

girls are given the responsibility to fetch water from the creek and look

after the cattle. As girls, they have to help their pa.ents to do anlthing.

even to do a man's job as illustrated in the novel when Laura helps Pa to

make a doorfor their house.

Overall, hard work and self-reliance as American traditional values

are one of the contributions of the frontler that has helped shaping the

Ame.jcan character and identity. Both values has contributed to the

frontier's work-ethic which according to Derman ('1995: 132) has generally

chara(terized the American people. this frontier ethic has encouraged

American5 to believe that their dream for a better life. which i5 known as

the?merican Dream," is not an impossible thing to achieve..n

b. The Spirit of lnventiveness and the Can-Do Spirit

An inventive individual is a highly-respected figure in the context of

the frontier. The ability to stand on their own feet without relying on

others known as self-reliance has prompted the spidt of inventiveness

among the frontiersmen . They are not only required to fulflll most oftheir

cwn staplet but they also have to constantly face new problems in a new

situation demanding for new solutions. ln these circumstancet they have

to learn to quickly adapt by trying on new ways and methods of doing

thins. Their determination to try and find new things later results in

another American character, which is the tan-do'spirit - an optimism that

the.e is always a 5olution to every problem (Datesman, Crandall & Kearny

2005:77).

Prmedin! of dre 1' ELm 0nlec.ce V, t I th LnSui,tF eN t tetatu,j

Ftg.4. Pa and Laura ar€

working on the door

for their house Milder

2oa4t 1O2)

The frontier with its limitation and

discomfoft has served as a challenge for white

settlers like the lngalls who have left all the

warmth and comfort of their little house in the

Big Woods. Problem after problem, hardship

after hardship, just come and go. When

building their little house on the prairie, Pa has

to flnd alternatives for tools and resources

unavailable in the frontier He must find a new

v,;ay to replace tools commonly used in the east

but difficult to find in the frontiet A nail, for

example, is a luxury in lhe lrontier becadse in

orderto obtain nails Pa has to go to the nearest

town, which is a five-day trip away. "l have no

morc nailt but I'll not keep on waiting till I can

make a ttip to lndependence:' he said. 'A man

doesn't need nailsto build o house ot make o

doot" iwildet 2OO4t 100). Pa's spirit of inventiveness becomes evident in

this situation sc that without a nail Pa .an still flnish buiiding their linle

house with a front doot

The doot wos finished. lt't/o5 strcng and solid, made ofthick ook wilh

oak slabs across it, all pegged together with good stout pegs. The

lotch st ng wos out; if you v'/onted to come in, you pulled the lotch'

string. But if you werc inside ond wanted to keep onyone out, then

yau pulled the lot.h sting in through its hale and nobody could get

in. Thete was no doorknob an that daot, and thete wot no keyhole

and no key. But itwas o goad door. (Wildet 2004:104-105)

The absence of doorknob and keylrole has also moved Pa's inventivenels

to come up with a new way to make their door workjust like a door in any

common houses. This door has an important function for those who live in

the frontier because a threat of danger may make a visit to iheir house

an).time. With this door, at least they can be protected from the threat

fiom wild animals or severe weather.

ProceediN olire II EL]TE Cldderi! ld. I aa Ligt ti'tLt dLletnue

As Turner (1920) suggestt the American spirit of inventiveness and

their enthusiasm to adopt new innovation are the characters inherited

from frontiersmen who always invent new ways and tools to solve

whatever problems they come across in the new environment ln this

novel, the lngalls also finds new ways and habits to replace the old ones

due to existing limitations.jost I'ke when they replace straw with dry grass

fortheir beds.

She hod filled the strcw-tick thot mominq. There was, no sttow on theHigh Proirie, so the hod fi ed it with dry, cleon, deod gruss. It was hotftom the sunshine and it hod o grcsty, sweet smell. Pa helped hetbing itintothe house and loy it in the bedstead. (Wildet 2004:148)

The lnga lls' inventive spirit has also prompted their can-do spirit as

reflected through their optimism in facing every hardship and relponding

to any challenge of living in the frontier The warmth and comfort oftheirliftle house in the qig Woods little by little a.e restored as Pa gradually

builds their little house and furnishes it with his handmade furniture

(becii, rocking chair, and rnany more). He also digs a well, tends crops, and

raises cattle to fulfiil the family needs. Challenge after challenge is

resolved a3 Pa wants to restore comfort that has been taken away from his

family as they decided to leave the 6lq t/oodi and move wesiward. Even

when they begin to feel comfortable livjng in their little hoLrse on theprairie, they still have to face a problem that forces them to leave theirnelvly-built houie. Halfheafted, the family has to confinue moving

west\,vard to find free land to setlle so that they need not to worry thatan)time the land will be taken away from them since it is in the lnd;an

Tefiitory. Pa prefers leaving the house and the unharvested crops than

being forcibly evicted because he is still optimistic that they will find a

better place to realize their dream. The initiative portrayed throuqh thecharacter of Pa in this novel illustrates the pioneers attempt to survive in

sparsely populated areas, and from such frontier character rooted

Ameriaan culturalvalues that has constantly inspired the America people

from tlme to time (Walsh 2006:124).

P0c€ed nq ol lie I r ELITE io ij€ica b|. t 0n l.hltiilits arJ L teane

3. The Relevan.e of the Frontier Legacy for ContempoEry AmerienSo(iety

The development of American culture and identity and how it hasseen and defined itself are linked to the West, which in thiJ context refersto the western territo.y ofthe United States that indicates the intertwinedrelationships between the 'mlthic, and the historical (Campbell & Kean2006: '135). Furthermore, the enormous increases of the country sizeresulted from the westward expansion has inspired the qrowth of anintense national pide. The feats offrontier settlers evolved into m),th anda set of idealized chara.ter traits (Mauk & Oakland 2005: 164). Therefore, itis nct surp:.ising how until today Americans have been endlesslyenchanted and inspired by the West. Little House on the prciie thal \!asfirit publishei in 1935 sti'l becomes a reference in American schools andeven for institutions for higher education. The story of Laura,s childhoodand teenage years in the frontieris not only used as reference tbrteachingethics and manneis to child.en like any other works of children,slilterature, but it also promotes the values ofhard work and self-relianceaswell as the itventiveness and can-do spirits that have been irnprinted inthe minds ofthe American people.

lndividualism dan self-reliance rooted from the frontier traditionalso underlie American attitude toward their legal system. Americansmake a.tive use of their legal system and are litigious people (Mauk &Oakl3nd 2005: 182). This is in line with the common pra.tice of lawenforcernent in the frontier in which frontiersmen have to stand for theirown rights and interests without any help from the governrnent.lv4eanwhile, hard work as another legacy of the frontier as shown by thelngalls in the novel is still believed to lead the way to the American Dream.Howevet nowadays it i5 not always easy for most Americans to achievetheir iuccess. The belief that anyone can reach his Arnerican Dreamthrcugh hard work sometimes is merely a ,rags to,riches'mlth that doesnot necessarily come true no matter how hard he has worked. ln realjt,attempting to change their life, many Ame.icans have to face hardshipsdue to {ack ofopportunities.

PrEcedld! of tre l. L-LIt Linsme 1 /ni I Ai Lhlostj,., ati L Entue

By inheriting the frontier experience from their forefathers, the

Americans have the spirit of inventiveness that facilitates them in solving

problems.They are also proud oftheir se,f-reliance and can-do spirit.Thut

they believe that they were born with a natural gift of DIY or "do-it-

yourself," which is the ability to do anything on your own. Their spirit of

inventiveness and enthus;asm to adopt new things rooted from the

frontier keeps growing and expanding to the American society in general.

and not only among those inhabiting the West. This frontier experience,

according to Billington (1958), distinguishes America from other nations

that do not have a frontier tradition, such as Europe who was no other

than American ancestors. As the heir ofthese frontier3 valuet Americans

are highly optimistic, and putting faith on the future and progress have

become the belief system adhered by Americans at large, All in all, the

characters of these froniiersmen have become a major part of American

culture and 'dentity.

C,Con(lusion

The study on Wilders Llttie Hause on the Prdr'.ie reveals that the

encounter betlveen civilization and wilderness as one ofthe main features

of the frontier is represented by the lngalls and the white seitlers on one

side and the lndians on the other side. This encounier has resulted in the

accLrlturation that has an impact on both sides. ln the present-day context,

it may be necessary to iake ;nto account the view towards lndians in the

novel as told from a white girl! point view Neverthelest this view on

lndians cannot be fuily atfributed as discriminative or racist since it is only

a reflection of the social condition as well as the policy of the American

government at that era.

American frontier has bequeathed an invaluable lega€y ofAmerican cultural values. ln this novel, the lngalls also iakes part in

promoting the values ofhard workand self reliance, which is necessaryfor

the struggle of survival in the frontier These values have surpassed the

boundary of age and gender so that they are truly entrenched in the

American society. Meanwhile, the spirit of inventiveness and the can-do

D .""4.90 0 6 td, d! Pn' "

spirit that have fostered optimism among Anrericans are also cleady

portrayed through the lngalls. This optimism has prevented them from

losing hope in times of hardships. The same optimism is also handed

down to present-day Ame.icans. Hencg going through a long debate for

more than a century the legacy of the frontier is still preserved in the

contemporary American society.The values rooted from the frontier is also

believed to underlie the attitude and character of its people in various

aspects of life that include legal, economic, social, politic, anJ cultural

aspects.The frontier is ceatainly not the only major factor that has shaped

American character, however, it undeniably has a signifrcant impact orr

Ame aan culture and identity.

Ref€rences

Billington, R. A. (1958)."How the Frontier 5haped the American Characte/'

in Ameicon Heitoge, The Mogozine of History. Volume 9. lisue 3.

http://wwwamericanhedtage..om/articles/m agazine / ah! 1 9 aan / 1 9

58 3-4.shtml

Campbell, N. and Alasdair, K. 12A06t. Ameri.c|r Culirtol Slajiet: An

lntrcduation to Anerican airllure. Seaond edi:ion. LDndcnl

Roulledge..

Datesrnan, C. et.ai. (20U5). Ameticch y'layt: A. i,ircdiJ(liai ! \tneicrtlCujtui". Ed!ii Ketiga. Nev/\'orb Peafrcn iciLrc:tion.

Deftift J" (i995). "Frederick Jockson'iumer and the Gospel of Wealth" in The

Coficotd

http:/,r'wMcr.orgltcr/essays/aB Frederick jackson.pdl

Eagleton, I. (1988). 'Two Approaches in 5ociology of Lileraiure" dalam

Ctiticol lnquiy,Vol.14, No. 3. pp. 469-476.

l,4auk, D. and Oakland, J. {2Ao5l. Ame ..an tivilizotio : At1 :ntraduction

London: Routledqe.

j

l

; L. L. (2009). "Laura lngalls Wildet: ln Microsoft Encotta Ontine

Encyc lo ped io 2@9. http.//encarta.msn.com

. Tindall, G. B. and David E,S. (2007). Aneica: A Naftative History.Volume l.

Seventh edition. NewYorkWW Norton & Company.

' Turner, F. J. (1920)."The Significance ofthe Frontier in American Histor)/inThe Frontier in Ameicon Hlstory- New York Henry Holt & Co.

http://www.xroad5.virginia.edu/-hyper^urnerkhapterl.html

Wal5h, M. (2006). "Revi-<iting the American West" in H. Temperley & C.

Bigsby (eds). A New lntrcduction to Ameican Sfud/e'. London:

Pearson Education. pp. 123-'146.

Wilder, L. f. (2004). llttle House on the Praiie. Collector's edition. New york:

HarperTrophy.

liffe D. lr.( 2009). Liftle House on the Osage Prciie.:r http://www.ovate.org /book-to-avoid/littlehouse.html Retrieved

i June 2009.

i;Rominet A, (l997). Constru.ting the Liftle House: Gender, Culture, and Laurc

': Ingalls Wilder. Arn herst U niversity of Massach usetts Press.

Prreed ng ot dre 1i I IEContur.ncc 1 V]l.l: Ot Lrpjiid:adl tkatue