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A review by meaghan_graph
These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
4.0
So eyeopening to read this book as adult. There were two parts that stuck out to me during this read.
When Laura taught school at the Brewster settlement and lived with the very unhappy Brewster family. Laura's family is always presented as a fairly happy (or at least cohesive) unit - and to be introduced to Mrs. Brewster, who is clearly unhappy and perhaps clinically depressed, really hammers home how difficult and solitary it could be to stake a claim.
At the end of the book, when Laura questions Almanzo about the use of the word "obey" in marriage vows. She has already agreed with Almanzo that she is independent, and he appears to like and appreciate her fiery spirit and general confidence. But then: "'Are you for woman's rights, like Eliza?' Almanzo asked with surprise. 'No,' Laura replied. 'I do not want to vote. But I cannot make a promise that I will not keep, and, Almanzo, even if I tried, I do not think I could obey anybody against my better judgment." I wonder why Laura doesn't want to vote, and what voting actually signifies to her. This kind of hammered home how women were forced to be strong and independent to survive and be happy in these settlements - it was just a fact of life. Voting, and having "equal rights" had a completely different context.
I'm so excited to read Laura's annotated memoirs and get a more rounded picture of Pa, and perhaps Mary.
When Laura taught school at the Brewster settlement and lived with the very unhappy Brewster family. Laura's family is always presented as a fairly happy (or at least cohesive) unit - and to be introduced to Mrs. Brewster, who is clearly unhappy and perhaps clinically depressed, really hammers home how difficult and solitary it could be to stake a claim.
At the end of the book, when Laura questions Almanzo about the use of the word "obey" in marriage vows. She has already agreed with Almanzo that she is independent, and he appears to like and appreciate her fiery spirit and general confidence. But then: "'Are you for woman's rights, like Eliza?' Almanzo asked with surprise. 'No,' Laura replied. 'I do not want to vote. But I cannot make a promise that I will not keep, and, Almanzo, even if I tried, I do not think I could obey anybody against my better judgment." I wonder why Laura doesn't want to vote, and what voting actually signifies to her. This kind of hammered home how women were forced to be strong and independent to survive and be happy in these settlements - it was just a fact of life. Voting, and having "equal rights" had a completely different context.
I'm so excited to read Laura's annotated memoirs and get a more rounded picture of Pa, and perhaps Mary.