Diksha Sundriyal
In Netflix’s ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ the Ingalls family leaves their well-settled life in the Big Woods to move all the way to the newfound town of Independence, Kansas. They embark on a grueling journey where they must survive the cold and hunger. At one point, they come close to losing everything when their cart almost overturns in a river. Still, they keep going. Even when they reach their destination, things don’t get any easier for them. There are all sorts of challenges and complications, and just when they think they have settled down for good, things take another turn. Seeing them go through all this, one can’t help but wonder why they would leave their town, where they were surrounded by all their family and friends, in the first place. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Ingalls Leave the Comfort of Big Woods in the Lure of a New Promise
Considering the 1800s, when things were rather uncertain, and moving away from a place often meant permanently saying goodbye to the people one loves, packing up one’s whole life and leaving town would have been a huge decision. But that’s what Charles Ingalls decides to do. Big Woods had him close to his family, and it had Caroline closer to her sisters, who could be there for her in times of need. It had a school for their daughters, where Mary made many friends. They had a pretty well-established life. However, Charles thought that, with the arrival of new settlers, the town was getting rather crowded. So, when he saw a flyer promising open land for the taking, he decided to take a chance on this new life.
His relatives and friends didn’t approve of his move, and Caroline’s sisters, especially, advised her against it. They told her not to follow Charles into such uncertainty with their daughters and even offered to let her stay with them if her husband insisted on leaving. However, Caroline couldn’t bear to have their family divided, so she decided to follow Charles, believing it would be another adventure for them. His decision to uproot their lives in Big Woods to chase the promise of a house on the prairie wasn’t entirely surprising to her. Later in the season, she admits she fell in love with his adventurous spirit and knew she would follow him anywhere in the world. Of course, things have changed since their first meeting, and now they have two daughters to think about.
But even now, Caroline has faith that things will turn out well as long as they are together. Even as things start to fall apart, she notes that there is no point in looking back and regretting anymore. All they can do is move forward. This perspective also comes from the fact that they have, particularly Charles, experienced a family loss that confirmed that they couldn’t stay in Big Woods again. When Charles first proposed moving, his wife and daughters weren’t the only ones meant to accompany him. His brother, George, would have joined them as well. However, George, a Civil War veteran, was dealing with his own demons. In time, Charles concluded that it was important to get George the help he needed before he was completely lost. His father didn’t like the idea, but Charles was insistent on it.
Unfortunately, George overheard their conversation, and the thought of being sent away made him feel rejected and abandoned. His already unstable mental health exacerbated the situation, and he died by suicide. Charles blamed himself for this, and so did his father. George’s death hit the entire family pretty hard, and if there was even a hint of second thoughts in Charles’ mind before, he knew now he needed to leave the Big Woods. He couldn’t stay there anymore, even if he wanted to, without being reminded of his brother. So, the entire family packed up and left, hoping that a new place would mean a fresh start. But of course, soon they discover that their demons are also part of the baggage. A new place will not rid them of their past, no matter how hard they try to leave it behind.
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