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Original poster

Little House on the Prairie: Pa - selfish or mad?

57 replies

gramercy · 08/05/2012 14:51

I'm reading the Little House books to dd. When I read them years ago I thought the pioneering life sounded very exciting.

Now, as a lily-livered adult, and seeing things from the point of view of Ma, I keep getting wound up about Pa. I mean, he had four daughters, one of whom was blind, another in poor health, and he keeps moving around trying to start farms from scratch. WTF? It's clear he loves his dds, but brawny blokes they are not, and it just seems ludicrous that he persisted in trying to forge a life that was just not manageable.

Anyone agree that Pa was a pain?

OP posts:
MarySA · 18/05/2012 21:47

We've got some of the books but DD wasn't really interested in them. I much prefer the TV series. I totally love the Olsons. They are great characters. But was Pa selfish? Not sure really. I think the girls had to do far too many chores. But maybe the pioneer was kind of adventurous.

SuePurblybilt · 18/05/2012 20:51

I re-read the first book fairly recently and found it quite depressing for those reasons. But I guess Pa didn't have too many options.

sammisatt · 18/05/2012 20:49

I always fancied Almanzo.

sammisatt · 18/05/2012 20:49

Yes there's that lovely flirty bit where they reminisce about pa being able to span her waist with his hands when she was a young lass back East.

TheCountessOlenska · 08/05/2012 16:49

I always imagine that Pa was a damn fine piece of hot ass who knew how to handle a woman, and that's why Ma a. married him and b. put up with all the pioneering with a smile on her face Wink

Chrestomanci · 08/05/2012 15:27

I agree! have you read the bit where he insists they go over the frozen river as it's miles round and the ice only just takes the wagon? And then the ice breaks up that night. Sent shivers down my spine. It's clear Laura (or Rose or whoever actually did write them - have ypu looked at that? it's fascinating) idolised her father, but it is very interesting reading with adult eyes. I have far more sympathy for her mother (racist views notwithstanding )

Dalliard · 08/05/2012 15:05

I watched the tv series and then read the books, I was around 8 or nine I think. I haven't re-read or re-watched so can only say what I remember. From the TV prog I mainly remember Laura's face, the theme tune, and the girls running down the meadow looking happy. From the books I remember Laura got whipped in the shed and her mum gave away her favourite doll.

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