By the Shores of Silver Lake

“Laura knew then that she was not a little girl any more. Now she was alone; she must take care of herself. When you must do that, then you do it and you are grown up. Laura was not very big, but she was almost thirteen years old, and no one was there to depend on. Pa and Jack had gone, and Ma needed help to take care of Mary and the little girls, and somehow to get them all safely to the west on a train.”

Her father’s departure westward and the loss of her beloved dog—both in one morning—force Laura to grow up. Her realization that “she was not a little girl any more” marks a significant development in the theme of The Transition From Childhood to Adolescence. Throughout the novel, the protagonist acts on her resolution in this passage by striving to act maturely and shouldering more responsibilities. Wilder’s choice of words, such as “alone” and “no one was there to depend on,” show that this milestone is painful for the young Laura.

“On that dreadful morning when Mary could not see even sunshine full in her eyes, Pa had said that Laura must see for her. He had said, ‘Your two eyes are quick enough, and your tongue, if you will use them for Mary.’ And Laura had promised. So she tried to be eyes for Mary, and it was seldom that Mary need ask her, ‘See out loud for me, Laura, please.’”

This excerpt develops the theme of The Strength of Family Bonds. Laura’s admiration for her father and her love for her sister shine through in the way she takes Pa’s words to heart. It’s also important to note that Mary wants Laura to describe their surroundings aloud for her and that this form of assistance supports Mary’s agency rather than detracting from it.

“There were lakes ahead. A thin silvery line at the very edge of the sky was Silver Lake, and little glimmers south of it were the Twin Lakes, Henry and Thompson.”

In this excerpt, Laura and her family catch their first glimpse of Silver Lake, one of the novel’s most important settings. Although the Ingalls intend to settle permanently near the lake from the outset, many challenges lie ahead for them before they can move onto a homestead, which doesn’t happen until Chapter 28.

“After Pa had gone back to the store, Ma talked seriously to Laura. She said that she wanted her girls to know how to behave, to speak nicely in low voices and have gentle manners and always be ladies. They had always lived in wild, rough places, except for a little while on Plum Creek, and now they were in a rough railroad camp, and it would be some time before this country was civilized. Until then, Ma thought it best that they keep themselves to themselves.”

This passage links to The Strength of Family Bonds and The Transition to Adolescence by showing how Laura’s curiosity clashes with her mother’s caution. Laura doesn’t fit comfortably within her mother’s rigid gender norms. As she grows older, her mother’s desire that her daughters will “always be ladies” influences Laura’s behavior more. In addition, it is interesting to note that this conversation occurs after Pa leaves. He understands Laura’s curiosity and free-spiritedness in ways that Ma does not because he and Laura are kindred spirits in many ways, including their love of the “wild, rough places” that Ma regards with disapproval.

“Laura ducked under Ma’s arm, but Ma’s hand clenched on her shoulder and pulled her back. ‘Oh, let me go! They’ll hurt Pa! Let me go, they’ll hurt Pa!’ Laura screamed in a whisper. ‘Be still!’ Ma told her in a voice Laura had never heard before. ‘Stand back, boys. Don’t crowd too close,’ said Pa. Laura heard his cold voice and stood trembling.”

Wilder uses sounds to create suspense during the tense scene when the railroad workers form a mob around the store: The terrified Laura “screamed in a whisper,” Pa’s usually warm voice turns “cold,” and Ma commands Laura to be still in “a voice Laura had never heard before.” This scene develops the theme of The Strength of Family Bonds because of the protective love and fear the characters feel for one another. Laura loves her father and is frightened for him, but Ma has to be the voice of reason and ensure her daughter is safe.

“‘Another thing, Laura,’ said Pa. ‘You know Ma was a teacher, and her mother before her. Ma’s heart is set on one of you girls teaching school, and I guess it will have to be you. So you see you must have your schooling.’ Laura’s heart jerked, and then she seemed to feel it falling, far, far down. She did not say anything. She knew that Pa and Ma, and Mary too, had thought that Mary would be a teacher. Now Mary couldn’t teach, and—‘Oh, I won’t! I won’t!’ Laura thought. ‘I don’t want to! I can’t.’ Then she said to herself, ‘You must.’ She could not disappoint Ma. She must do as Pa said. So she had to be a school teacher when she grew up.”

This passage develops the theme of family bonds because Laura resolves to obey her parents even when they tell her to pursue a career that is contrary to her own wishes. Ma and Pa’s plans for their daughter’s future also connect to the theme of Adaptation to Change: Due to limited accessibility in this era, it falls to Laura to fulfill her mother’s dream now that Mary has blindness. As the novel continues, Laura’s love for her family gives her additional reasons to pursue a career in teaching.

“At last Pa laid the fiddle and the bow in the fiddle box. As he shut down the lid, a long, mournful, lonely howl came from the night outside the window. Very near, it was. Laura sprang to her feet. Ma rushed to comfort Grace’s screaming in the bedroom. Carrie sat frozen white, with big, round eyes. ‘It’s—it’s only a wolf, Carrie,’ Laura said. ‘There, there!’ said Pa. ‘A fellow’d think you’d never heard a wolf before. Yes, Caroline, the stable door is well fastened.’”

During their first night alone in the surveyors’ house, the Ingalls enjoy some music, which serves as a motif for the theme of family bonds. The warm, joyful mood shifts at the end of Chapter 14 when the sound of Pa’s fiddle is replaced by “a long, mournful, lonely howl.” This scene foreshadows the events of Chapters 17 and 18, in which wolves figure prominently.

“Those were glorious days when they were out in the glitter of the sharp cold. Then it was good to come into the warm, close house, and good to eat supper, and through the evening of music and singing and dancing, Laura was the merriest of all.”

The author’s use of adjectives, such as “good” and “merriest,” emphasizes the great joy Laura feels in the winter at the surveyors’ house. Wilder’s beautiful descriptions of nature are a hallmark of her style, and the phrase “the glitter of the sharp cold” exemplifies her skill in crafting precise, striking sensory details.

“‘Curiosity killed a cat, Pa,’ Laura said. ‘You look pretty healthy,’ said Pa. Tantalizing, he sat there whittling until he had made twenty-four small squares of wood. Half of them he laid on the hot stove, turning them until they were burned black all over.”

Wilder lovingly describes Pa fashioning a checkerboard, a sweet moment that highlights his ingenuity and Laura’s curiosity. Their playful banter reflects the strong bond between father and daughter. Pa and Laura are the only members of their family who enjoy playing checkers, another way in which the two characters are similar.

“‘It’s a funny thing,’ Pa said. ‘Here I’ve been looking around this country for months and never finding a quarter section that just exactly suited me. And that one was lying there all the time. Likely enough I wouldn’t have come across it at all, if this wolf chase hadn’t taken me across the lake and down along the slough on that side.’”

The wolf’s appearance in the previous chapter was frightening at the time, but it proves fortuitous for the Ingalls. There is a certain irony in the wolves, who have been forced from their habitat by human activity, helping a family of humans find their future home.

“‘It wasn’t really as good as this one,’ Laura said. ‘Because now Carrie is old enough to remember, and now we have Grace.’ There was Carrie—the wolf didn’t hurt her. And there on Ma’s lap sat the littlest sister Grace, with her hair the color of sunshine and eyes as blue as violets. ‘Yes, this is best after all,’ Mary decided.”

This chapter explores the theme of family bonds. The Ingalls reflect on the many holidays they’ve shared, some joyful and some painful. Mary and Laura’s conclusion that this Christmas is “the best after all” showcases the love and gratitude they have for their younger sisters.

“It is not much the world can give / With all its subtle art; / And gold and gems are not the things / To satisfy the heart; / But Oh, if those who cluster round / The altar and the hearth, / Have gentle words and loving smiles, / How beautiful the earth!”

The song the Ingalls sing on Christmas Eve connects to the use of music as a motif for the theme of family bonds. The lyrics reflect their ethos. The harmonious, close-knit family prizes the simple joys of “gentle words and loving smiles” over material things. The Ingalls demonstrate their sense of ethics in the very next chapter by welcoming two unexpected guests to share Christmas Day with them.

“Grace ran behind Ma and clung to her skirts, peeping around them at the strange man. Pa picked her up and tossed her, just as he used to toss Laura when Laura was little. And Grace screamed with laughter just as Laura used to. Laura had to remember hard that she was a big girl now or she would have laughed out loud too. They were all so happy in the warmth full of good smells of cooking, and with company there for Christmas in the snug house.”

This joyful moment on Christmas Day develops the themes of family bonds and the transition from childhood to adolescence. The protagonist is happy to see her youngest sister enjoying the same things that brought her happiness “when Laura was little,” but she restrains herself from sharing in Grace’s laughter and reminds herself that she is “a big girl now.” Wilder adds to the merriness of the scene through cozy descriptions, such as “the warmth full of good smells” and “the snug house.”

“‘I’ll be thankful when we’re settled,’ Ma said. ‘This is the last move we’re going to make. Mr. Ingalls agreed to that before we left Minnesota. My girls are going to have schooling and lead a civilized life.’ Laura did not know whether or not she wanted to be settled down. When she had schooling, she would have to teach school, and she would rather think of something else. She would rather sing than think at all.”

This passage examines The Transition From Childhood to Adolescence and revisits the protagonist’s thoughts about her future. She is ambivalent about settling down and remains reluctant to pursue teaching. Laura uses music to distract herself from thinking about the future, showing that, although she is maturing, she’s not yet ready to be all grown up.

“‘Anyway, I couldn’t go. It must cost something. I don’t suppose there’s any chance I could.’ ‘Ma knows,’ Laura whispered. ‘Reverend Alden told her too. Maybe you can, Mary. I do hope you can.’ She took a deep breath and promised, ‘I will study hard, so I can teach school and help.’”

In an important scene for the theme of family bonds, Laura makes a promise to Mary. The protagonist’s love for her older sister is so great that she is even willing to become a schoolteacher to help pay for Mary’s education. Thus, Laura’s future as a teacher becomes a way to fulfill her mother’s dream and help Mary achieve her dreams, too.

“‘I can’t help it, Caroline,’ said Pa. ‘We can’t refuse folks shelter, when there’s nowhere else they can stay.’ ‘We can charge them for it, Charles,’ Ma said firmly. Pa did not like to charge folks for shelter and a meal, but he knew that Ma was right. So he charged twenty-five cents a meal, and twenty-five cents for shelter overnight, for man or horse.”

This exchange develops the theme of The Strength of Family Bonds. Pa and Ma’s discussion is not a fight so much as a clash between their personalities. In this instance, Pa’s optimism and desire to help others conflicts with Ma’s caution, distrust of strangers, and protectiveness over her children. Usually, Ma follows Pa’s lead, as seen when she agrees to move West at the novel’s start, even though she wants to remain on their farm. However, in this instance, Pa “knew that Ma was right” and agrees to compromise. In addition, Ma demonstrates her ability to adapt to change by making money from her unwanted guests.

“‘Well, girls, I’ve bet Uncle Sam fourteen dollars against a hundred and sixty acres of land, that we can make out to live on the claim for five years. Going to help me win the bet?’ ‘Oh, yes, Pa!’ Carrie said eagerly, and Mary said, ‘Yes, Pa!’ gladly, and Laura promised soberly, ‘Yes, Pa.’ ‘I don’t like to think of it as gambling,’ Ma said in her gentle way. ‘Everything’s more or less a gamble, Caroline,’ said Pa. ‘Nothing is certain but death and taxes.’”

Pa’s playful dialogue gives the chapter its name. The bet touches on all three of the novel’s major themes. First, the daughters show The Strength of Family Bonds by readily agreeing to assist Pa with the homestead. Second, the narrator notes that Laura “promised soberly” to help. The seriousness with which she approaches this undertaking is evidence of her maturation. Third, the Ingalls will have to adapt to change because starting a homestead will bring a new set of challenges.

“Laura did not care how many dishes she washed, nor how sleepy and tired she was. Pa and Ma were getting rich, and she was helping.”

Laura’s responsibilities increase significantly when the Ingalls turn the surveyors’ house into a makeshift inn. The protagonist’s hard work, pride in her efforts, and dedication to helping her parents develop the themes of familial bonds and The Transition From Childhood to Adolescence.

“‘That’s what it takes to build up a country,’ said Pa. ‘Building over your head and under your feet, but building. We’d never get anything fixed to suit us if we waited for things to suit us before we started.’”

Pa’s words to Ma advance the theme of Adaptation to Change. The adaptation required to “build up a country” demands hard work, determination, ingenuity, and resilience, all qualities the Ingalls have shown throughout the novel. This excerpt helps to place the Ingalls’ experiences within the broader historical context of settlers’ expansion into the American West.

“This was the gladdest moving day that Laura had known. Ma and Mary were glad because this was the end of traveling; they were going to settle on the homestead and never move again. Carrie was glad because she was eager to see the homestead, Laura was glad because they were leaving town, Pa was glad because he always liked moving, and Grace sang and shouted in gladness because all the others were glad.”

The Ingalls’ overflowing joy as they ride to their new homestead develops the theme of The Strength of Family Bonds. They have all eagerly awaited this moment, albeit for different reasons, and they are finally realizing their goal 28 chapters into the novel. Although they want different things, they have learned how to live in harmony, an impressive achievement for any family.

“‘I am going to put up the little shepherdess just as soon as the roof is finished over our heads,’ said Ma. Pa’s fiddle answered her with little notes running like water in the sunshine and widening into a pool. The moon was rising. The creamy light crept up the sky and the stars melted in it. Cool and silvery, the moonlight lay over the wide, dark land, and softly Pa sang with the fiddle: ‘When the stars are brightly beaming / And the sighing winds are still, / When the twilight shadows hover o’er the lea, / There’s a tiny candle gleaming / From the cottage ‘neath the hill / And I know that little beacon shines for me.’”

In this scene from the Ingalls’ first night on their homestead, two of the novel’s symbols and motifs come together. The china shepherdess acts as a symbol of home because Ma leaves it packed away for most of the novel, waiting for the moment when she feels that the family is truly settled. In addition, music serves as a motif for the theme of family bonds, and the song Pa plays in this passage echoes the china shepherdess’s symbolism by celebrating home and family.

“Big girl as she was, Laura spread her arms wide to the wind and ran against it. She flung herself on the flowery grass and rolled like a colt. She lay in the soft, sweet grasses and looked at the great blueness above her and the high, pearly clouds sailing in it. She was so happy that tears came into her eyes. Suddenly she thought, ‘Have I got a grass stain on my dress?’ She stood up and anxiously looked, and there was a green stain on the calico. Soberly she knew that she should be helping Ma, and she hurried to the little dark tar-paper shanty.”

This scene explores Laura’s transition from childhood to adolescence. Wilder uses nature imagery and a simile to express the protagonist’s feelings of joy and freedom: She rolls “like a colt” in “the soft, sweet grasses.” However, the moment is short-lived. “Big girl” thoughts and responsibilities—and a sense of guilt—intrude before long.

“Pa met her on the slope as she ran down and Ma came up gasping for breath. ‘She must be in sight, Laura,’ Pa said. ‘You must have missed seeing her. She can’t be—’ Terribly he exclaimed, ‘The Big Slough!’ He turned and ran. Ma ran after him, calling back, ‘Carrie, you stay with Mary! Laura, look for her, go look!’”

One of the novel’s most suspenseful moments brings about Laura’s most daunting responsibility yet, joining her parents in a desperate search for her youngest sibling. This touches on the theme of The Transition From Childhood to Adolescence because Laura is the only one of her sisters entrusted with this task.