How is the natural world depicted in the novel? How does Laura Ingalls’s connection to nature and the landscape of Plum Creek shape her experiences and perceptions throughout the book?

Explore the themes of resilience and perseverance as depicted in the challenges faced by the Ingalls family in Plum Creek. How do they overcome adversity, such as the devastation of their crops by the grasshopper plague, or the bitter reoccurring blizzards throughout the winter? What does the novel suggest about the nature and practice of endurance?

Discuss the role of community and neighborly support in the Ingalls family’s life in Plum Creek. How do their relationships with neighbors impact their experiences? How do they balance communal ties with pioneer self-sufficiency?