Little House on the Prairie often uses didacticism. In at least 150 words, explain how this affects the realism of the piece? Use one specific example of didacticism to prove your point.
Didacticism is informative and reflects the history of the Native Americans and their story on the frontier. The issue of racism is very strong and should not be introduced to children, but in reading, it is Pa’s conflicting views of this group of people that leaves Laura undecided in regards to racism. The novel tells the story of how misconceptions can prevent one person from seeing the true values of another. The novel has some amount of factual information but one is left to wonder at the prejudice of Ma and how this altered the historical truth about the period in history. Nevertheless, didacticism has not taken the humor or the lesson of acceptance for others from Laura’s character nor that her father worked hard for what he wanted. The reader learns about how experiences along the frontier in an entertaining manner as Laura want to be and Indian to ride a horse naked and to take an Indian baby. One example is Ma’s towards the Native Americans based on the fact that she just “does not like them”.
In at least 100 words, outline Ma’s, Pa’s and Laura’s attitude towards the Native Americans
Ma is the most racist towards the Native Americans however Pa’s and Laura’s share mixed feelings towards them. Pa’s feelings toward them at the start show a reflection of his belief in American independence and possibly selfishness in not wanting to share the land. Later he begins to accept them and their right to the land. Laura, on the other hand, avoids her mother's racism and does not fully understand what it means to be racist. Her ideas mirror a view that is crossed between her mother’s and her father's positions. Ma sees the Natives as lower than the whites because of their physical appearance and their way of life. Ma’s racist attitude, before any real encounters with Indians, shows that Ma's beliefs reflect a more common cultural meaning of the Indian culture being inferior to American culture. These feelings hindered Ma from being able to see them as being more than inferior. Her racism is the opposite to Pa and Laura. One cannot see Pa’s real beliefs about the Native American Indians as his words often seem to contradict his actions. But sometimes, his actions support his words.
