O Pioneers!

Because this novel deals so much with the power of nature and humanity’s relationship to it, seasons are important symbols of human cycles of development. Winter symbolizes peace and self-reflection—a time to prepare for the bustle and regrowth of spring. It is during the brutal Nebraskan winter months that Marie withdraws into her unhappiness. It is also during these months that Alexandra contemplates her own loneliness. Both women look forward to the inevitable thaw. More practically, winter impedes farming and community-building, so the fact that Hanover survives the cold season demonstrates that it has become an unstoppable town. Cather uses the isolation of winter to express her message that while community is important, self-reflection and introspection are equally valuable.

The white mulberry tree is a symbol of love, innocence, and death. Under the white mulberry tree, Emil and Marie come together: It is the physical site where they finally express their love. However, it is also the site of their death, implying that ultimate happiness leads to (and perhaps is worth) the risk of self-destruction. In this duality, the tree alludes to the legend of Pyramus and Thisbe—doomed lovers who die under the mulberry tree where they have arranged to meet.