Little House on the Prairie

Synopsis:

At the beginning of this story, Pa Ingalls

decided to sell the house in the Big Woods of
Wisconsin, and moved to the Indian Territory
near Independence, Kansas, as there were
widely circulating stories that the land
(technically still under Osage ownership) would
be opened to settlement by homesteaders
imminently. So Laura, along with Pa and Ma,
and Mary and baby Carrie, moved to Kansas.
Along the way, Pa trades Wagon with his two horses for two Western mustangs, which
Laura and Mary name Pet and Patty. Many obstacles that they found before arriving in
Indian Territory, the first; they had to cross the long creek where jack disappeared in the
creek when crossing it. When the family reached Indian Territory, they made camp on the
high prairie along several days. There, they met Mr. Edwards, who was extremely polite
to Ma, but told Laura and Mary that he was "a wildcat from Tennessee." Mr. Edwards
was an excellent neighbor, and helps the Ingalls in every way he can, beginning with
helping Pa erected their house, made two stout doors. Then, Pa built a roof and a floor for
their house, digs a well, and the family was finally settled.

One morning, Pa took his gun and went hunting. He left Ma, Laura, Mary, Baby
Carrie, and Pa chained Jack to the stable; he got him to guard the place. A moment later,
there were two Indians came into Laura’s house. Laura and Mary were frightened, Jack
never stop growled. Two Indians were tall, thin, fierce-looking men. Their skin was
brownish-red. Their heads seemed to go up to a peak, and the peak was a tuft of hair that
stood straight up and ended in feathers. Their eyes were black and still and glittering, like
snake’s eyes. The fact, they asked some meals and Pa’s tobacco to Ma, after crumb of the
cornbread was gone, the Indians rose up and went out. The Indians always come to
Laura’s house to steal some meat, some meals, and steal Mr. Edward’s horse. But they
didn’t hurt anyone. Indians often came to the house. Some were friendly, some were surly
cross. Indians camp is around creek.

Day after day was hotter than the day before, it was midsummer. The prairie had
changed. Now it was a dark yellow, almost brown, and red streaks of sumac lay across it.
Around this time, the Ingalls family became terribly ill from a disease called at that time
"Fever 'n' Ague" (fever with severe chills and shaking) which was later identified to be
malaria. Mrs. Scott, another neighbor, took care of the family while they were sick.

On winter, Mr. Edwards brought Laura and Mary their Christmas presents from
Independence.

In the spring, Pa shouted “prairie fire!” The prairie fire was roaring now, roaring
louder and louder in screaming wind. The wind rose to high, crackling, rushing shriek,
flames climbed into the crackling air. Fire was all around the house, and then it was over.
The fire went roaring past and away. That night Mr. Edward and Mr. Scott came to see
Pa. They were worried because they thought that perhaps the Indians had started that fire
on purpose to burn out the white settlers. Mr. Scott said he did not know why so many of
those savages were coming together, if they did not mean devilment.

Since that time Laura and Mary felt afraid to play outdoors. They didn’t feel safe
by what Indians did. At night, Laura, Mary, and Ma heard terrible sound which it came
from Indians drum beat faster, faster, the wild yipping yells rose higher and higher, and
Indians were wildly yelling. Pa said, “It’s the Indian war-cry”. “Indian war-cry was
Indians way of talking about war; they were only dancing around their fires”, Pa
continued.

In the wood Pa had met an Osage who could talk to him. This Indian told him that
all the tribes except the Osage had made up their minds to kill the white people who had
come into the Indian country. Osages would fight them if they started to massacre us. The
other tribes were howling at the Osages, and the Osages were howling back at them. He
explained that was what had made so much noise, that terrible night before. It’s the Indian
war-cry. So next day they went away.

And one morning the whole land was green after the Indians had gone, the Ingalls
plant the beginnings of a small farm on the prairie, because a great peace settled on the
prairie.

At the end of this book, the family is told that the land must be vacated by settlers
as it is not legally open to settlement yet, and Pa elects to leave the land and move before
the Army forcibly requires him to abandon the land.
 THE ANALYSIS

1. BEGINNING
Orientation / Introduction:
A long time ago, Pa, Ma, Mary, Laura, Baby Carrie, and Jack, the brindle
bulldog live in the Big Woods of Wisconsin by their little house. But because of many
reasons, Pa decided to sell and leave the little house in the Big Woods of Wisconsin
and move to the west to the Indian country. (In chapter 1, page 1, paragraph 1)

Points of attack:
Because there were too many people in the Big Wood, he did not like to stay
among them; he liked a country where the wild animals lived without being afraid. It
was the problem why Pa sold the little house in the big wood and moved to Indian
country. Pa also got information that in the Indian Territory near Independence,
Kansas, as there were widely circulating stories that the land (technically still under
Osage ownership) would be opened to settlement by homesteaders imminently. (In
chapter 1, page 1-2, paragraph 2-5)

2. MIDDLE
Complications (Rising action):
1. After Pa reached Indian Territory, Pa was difficult to build a little house on the

Prairie; because he only was man. He built the little house step by step patiently.
(In chapter 2-10)

2. When there were two Indians came into Laura’s house and Pa was not at home.

Laura and Mary felt frighten to them because they were strange. (In chapter 11:)

3. In the midsummer, Laura’s family got terribly ill from a disease called at that time

"Fever 'n' Ague" (In chapter 15)

Climax:
When the Indians tried to burn prairie and fire was all around the house. Since
that time Laura and Mary felt afraid to play outdoors. They didn’t feel safe by what
Indians did. They felt that Indians spied her. (In chapter 22)
3. END
Falling action
In the wood Pa had met an Osage. The Osage was kind, he told everything
about Indians (tribes) who came to the prairie. They were planning to kill the white
people who had come into the Indian country but Osages did not agree, and happening
Indians war-cry. Osages howled them, and then they went away. (In chapter 23-24)

Resolution
After the Indians had gone, the Ingalls plant the beginnings of a small farm on
the prairie, because a great peace settled on the prairie. (In chapter 25)

Ending

The ending of this novel is “open ending”. We prove it by this paragraph in the
last chapter. “The family is told that the land must be vacated by settlers as it is not
legally open to settlement yet, and Pa elects to leave the land and move before the
Army forcibly requires him to abandon the land”. (In chapter 26)

From the sentences we know that the journey of Ingalls family still continues.
We will appear some questions what Ingalls family’s problems will be faced and how
to survive it.
 Analysis of plot structure entitle
“LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE”
Novel by Laura Ingalls Wilder

To fulfill Prose assignment

Guided by Citra Ramadhani M.Pd

Completed by:

1. H E L M I (07.02023.567)

2. NURUL HIDAYATI (07.02023.566)

3. MOH. FAIZAL (07.02023.568)

4. M. HOSNI (07.02023.356)

5. ACH. SURYADI (07.02023.556)

MADURA UNIVERSITY OF PAMEKASAN

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
2010