The Long Winter

In what ways can The Long Winter be analyzed from a postcolonial perspective?

How is self-sacrifice related to maturation in The Long Winter?

In The Long Winter, the natural world is often presented as an antagonist. How does Laura’s character explore both the beauty and the danger of the natural world in this place and time?

What added hardships did women and girls face in The Long Winter? What perspectives does the text offer about gender?

What does the schoolhouse represent?

Explore the depiction of summer in The Long Winter. If winter is antagonistic, what does summer represent?

Examine the family dynamics in The Long Winter. How do the members of the Ingalls family support each other throughout the winter’s hardships? How does Wilder portray family as a form of community?

While the town of De Smet has only formed recently, there are many examples of the community cooperating in The Long Winter. How does Wilder explore the idea of individuality versus community?