A Thousand Acres Essays

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A Thousand Acres

The book was published in 1991 and was written by Jane smiley. This book won the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for fiction as well as the national book critics’ award for fiction in 1991. This books relation to the Shakespeare classic king Lear, like King Lear thorough the book long suppressed emotions begin to be told throughout the story of sexual abuse the daughters would face from their father. The book also focuses on Ginny’s marriage troubles and the be trail to her husband when she cheats with her longtime friend Clark. This story is unnerving and reveals the truths and struggles in living in an enclosed space knowing very few people, most of them which you dislike.
A Thousand Acres envelopes you in the world of farming and educates you on life in Iowa in the 1980’s, for this family 0f five they begin their story when the children are of a young age, they describe the people and the scenery that surrounds them. After you get a feeling of what their ordinary life was like they begin the next chapter in the 3 daughters early 20’s when their father has split the land into two parts, and handing them down to his two oldest daughters. The youngest daughter didn’t want any part of the property and chose to go to law school. Throughout the book there are countless retells of the awful experiences that the family underwent after the death of their mother. This story is the representation of life and its so many hidden stories swept out from under the rug.
The entire story is told from the perspective of the oldest daughter Ginny, in the book she really battles with appearances vs. reality because everyone sees her as a strong kind woman but her countless secrets lead you to believe she struggles with this issue.
The stories never ending surprises lead you to judge every character in the book rather quickly; it represents its whole era making it a timeless classic educating its audience on family issues, and how be trail can become such a big part of someone. It is also shows a great representation of when you begin something it isn’t all that easy to stop or finish with it.
I felt that rose and Ginny feel very Claustrophobic with the secrets they must keep and the lies they must tell. When I found out that the two
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