On the Banks of Plum Creek

Explore the themes of resilience and perseverance as depicted in the challenges faced by the Ingalls family in Plum Creek. How do they overcome adversity, such as the devastation of their crops by the grasshopper plague, or the bitter reoccurring blizzards throughout the winter? What does the novel suggest about the nature and practice of endurance?

Discuss the role of community and neighborly support in the Ingalls family’s life in Plum Creek. How do their relationships with neighbors impact their experiences? How do they balance communal ties with pioneer self-sufficiency?

Analyze the character development of Laura Ingalls throughout the novel. How does she mature and evolve as a person during her time in Plum Creek?

Examine the portrayal of gender roles and expectations in On the Banks of Plum Creek. How do Laura and other female characters in the book challenge or conform to these roles?

Discuss the significance of education in the novel, particularly Laura and Mary Ingalls’s experiences at school. How does education shape their worldview and personal development? How does the value of a good education factor into the Ingalls family’s choices?

Explore the theme of self-sufficiency and the pioneer spirit in the book. How do the Ingalls family and other settlers rely on their resourcefulness to survive and thrive in Plum Creek?

Although Laura does interact with other characters through church and school, her primary relationships are those with her family members. How do family dynamics shape the novel in terms of characterization, narrative, and/or themes?

In what ways does On the Banks of Plum Creek embody certain tropes and/or myths about the American Frontier? Does it challenge or undermine any aspect of this mythology? Why or why not?