THE SURVIVAL OF INGALLS FAMILY IN SOCIAL CHANGES OF AMERICA IN THE ERA OF 1882S IN LAURA INGALLS WILDER’S LITTLE TOWN IN THE PRAIRIE

Abstract

Little Town in the Prairie is the seventh novel of Laura Ingalls Wilder which was first published in 1941. This American author expresses her real experiences with her family in Dakota Territory in the era of 1882s in the novel. This novel is the reflection of Wilder’s biography when she is in fifth. The novel as a literary work reflects the author’s life and the era surrounding her. In the novel, Wilders shows the picture of American social condition in the era of social change occurred as the impact of the Industrial Revolution in the United States of America, specifically in the era of 1882s, through Ingalls family’s life. The advancement of technology and science stimulate the economic growth and many social changes. This thesis entitled “The Survival of Ingalls Family in Social Changes of America in the Era of 1882s in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little Town in the Prairie discusses the phenomenon of social change in the era of 1882s that influences the life of American people in reaching a better life. The Ingalls family as the representation of American people tries to survive in the era of social change that emerges many problems and challenges. The sociology of literature is applied in this thesis to comprehend the reflection of the author’s life and the era surrounding her that influence the creation of the novel. This approach is used to show that literary work is the result of social phenomena and social reality. This approach will conduct to understand the depiction of the American social condition in the era of 1882s that is described by Wilder in the novel through the Ingalls family’s life. The Janet Wolff’s theory is used in this thesis to explain and comprehend the social change as a social phenomenon which influences human’s thinking and action. The human creativity theory will help the reader to understand how social reaction appeared as the expression of a certain person toward something. Through this novel, Wilder shows how Ingalls family survives facing social changes of America that affect the life of American families in the era of 1882s in reaching their dream to make a better life. Qualitative research is used in this thesis as a method of this research. The writer collects data from the conversations and narration in the novel that focus on the social changes of America and its influences, and the survival and efforts of the characters in that era. The data are also collected from quotations in another appropriate references. Moreover, this thesis will help to comprehend the real American social condition in the era of 1882s and how Americans survive in social changes occurred at that time to achieve their dream and pursue happiness in realizing a better life and a better future. This phenomenon is also experienced by Ingalls family.