Some issues you might respond to include the role of nostalgia and memory in the novel. To what extent do Jim’s memories of the past evoke a sense of nostalgia for a lost era? How important is the mythology of the “pioneer experience” to the novel (and/or to the culture of this part of the world…)? In what ways does the book provide a commentary on the way memory works? You might also consider the presence of the many embedded narratives within this novel. How do the stories of Pavel and Peter, Blind D’Arnault, Wick Cutter, etc., fit into the larger narrative? Can you sense a structure in the novel, in spite of the various digressions and tangents that come up?
For some interesting information about Cather, and about her significance in the state of Nebraska, take a look at the Willa Cather Foundation website.
