Abstract

Willa Cather is famous American female writer who is well-known for her works that portray life of immigration and frontier in the Midwest of the United States. O Pioneers! is not only the first frontier novel by Cather but also the successful work which put Cather to the world stage. This novel shows Cather’s writing style, and in the meantime reflects Cather’s thoughts on women’s self-awakening. This thesis intends to make an analysis on the changes of the protagonist Alexandra’s personality in O Pioneers! in terms of Virginia Woolf’s “androgyny” feminist perception, thus to explore the awakening of women and the return of human nature that are reflected by the work.

This thesis has feminist criticism and ecological criticism as theoretical foundation, uses the main ideas of androgyny theory, and makes content analysis and case study as research methods, which are committed to exploring Alexandra’s transformation. The article firstly introduces androgyny theory. Then from three different angles this thesis discusses the relationship between Alexandra and nature, neighbors and herself and shows the transition of Alexandra’s attitudes to these three aspects. Finally through the infiltrated theory, the article shows the androgyny feminism expressed by Cather.

Reread O Pioneers! by Willa Cather, it is not difficult for us to find that Alexandra is the ideal and perfect heroine of Cather. She has changed the relationship between human and nature, human and himself or herself, which perfectly highlights female traits. This thesis not only makes supplement for the feminist criticism of O Pioneers! but also helps us to contemplate the way we get along with nature and human and the way to be oneself which is meaningful for our personalities’ perfect regression.

Key words: androgyny, feminism, Alexandra, return of human nature, Willa Cather