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On the Divide
Near Rattlesnake Creek, on the side of a little draw stood Canute's shanty. North, east, south, stretched the level Nebraska plain of long rust-red grass that undulated constantly in the wind. To the west the ground was broken and rough, and a narrow strip of timber wound along the turbid, muddy little stream that had scarcely ambition enough to crawl over its black bottom. If it had not been for the few stunted cottonwoods and elms that grew along its banks, Canute would have shot himself years ago. The Norwegians are a timber-loving people, and if there is even a turtle pond with a few plum bushes around it they seem irresistibly drawn toward it.
28 pages, Paperback
First published April 10, 2001
19 people want to read
About the author
Willa Cather
879 books2,772 followersWilella Sibert Cather was born in Back Creek Valley (Gore), Virginia, in December 7, 1873.
She grew up in Virginia and Nebraska. She then attended the University of Nebraska, initially planning to become a physician, but after writing an article for the Nebraska State Journal, she became a regular contributor to this journal. Because of this, she changed her major and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English.
After graduation in 1894, she worked in Pittsburgh as writer for various publications and as a school teacher for approximately 13 years, thereafter moving to New York City for the remainder of her life.
Her novels on frontier life brought her to national recognition. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her novel, 'One of Ours' (1922), set during World War I. She travelled widely and often spent summers in New Brunswick, Canada. In later life, she experienced much negative criticism for her conservative politics and became reclusive, burning some of her letters and personal papers, including her last manuscript.
She was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1943. In 1944, Cather received the gold medal for fiction from the National Institute of Arts and Letters, an award given once a decade for an author's total accomplishments.
She died of a cerebral haemorrhage at the age of 73 in New York City.
She grew up in Virginia and Nebraska. She then attended the University of Nebraska, initially planning to become a physician, but after writing an article for the Nebraska State Journal, she became a regular contributor to this journal. Because of this, she changed her major and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English.
After graduation in 1894, she worked in Pittsburgh as writer for various publications and as a school teacher for approximately 13 years, thereafter moving to New York City for the remainder of her life.
Her novels on frontier life brought her to national recognition. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her novel, 'One of Ours' (1922), set during World War I. She travelled widely and often spent summers in New Brunswick, Canada. In later life, she experienced much negative criticism for her conservative politics and became reclusive, burning some of her letters and personal papers, including her last manuscript.
She was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1943. In 1944, Cather received the gold medal for fiction from the National Institute of Arts and Letters, an award given once a decade for an author's total accomplishments.
She died of a cerebral haemorrhage at the age of 73 in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 18, 2017
Second reading. Now reading all of Cather's works in chronological order.
This was the sixth short story of Cather's to be published. She was 22 years old. Having read some biographical information about Cather, and having read two of her novels and a smattering of other short stories since my first reading of this story, I approach it from a different perspective. I am impressed by the depth of her understanding of human nature at such a young age and by her maturity as a wordsmith.
For personal reasons, I am especially drawn to Cather's stories of the Nebraska pioneers. My maternal grandparents immigrated to the Canadian prairie from Sweden in 1903. In Cather's characters, I recognize the folks who populated my mother's youth and my childhood summers. The prairie was both beautiful and cruel - likewise the people who settled there. They were wounded by the struggle to survive in an unforgiving environment and their emotional pain sometimes drove them to lash out and wound each other.
This is a story of wounded people - of their ways of hiding from and coping with their wounds; of contempt and scorn; of loyalty and determination; of compassion and love. Such a lot of life packed into a few pages. Such a remarkable author.
This was the sixth short story of Cather's to be published. She was 22 years old. Having read some biographical information about Cather, and having read two of her novels and a smattering of other short stories since my first reading of this story, I approach it from a different perspective. I am impressed by the depth of her understanding of human nature at such a young age and by her maturity as a wordsmith.
For personal reasons, I am especially drawn to Cather's stories of the Nebraska pioneers. My maternal grandparents immigrated to the Canadian prairie from Sweden in 1903. In Cather's characters, I recognize the folks who populated my mother's youth and my childhood summers. The prairie was both beautiful and cruel - likewise the people who settled there. They were wounded by the struggle to survive in an unforgiving environment and their emotional pain sometimes drove them to lash out and wound each other.
This is a story of wounded people - of their ways of hiding from and coping with their wounds; of contempt and scorn; of loyalty and determination; of compassion and love. Such a lot of life packed into a few pages. Such a remarkable author.
March 8, 2017
It's not that I don't see what this story is getting at. It's just that the whole scenario toward the end leaves such a bad taste in my mouth. I don't like to harp too much in my reviews though.
But I have arranged my thoughts into a haiku:
"Pity comes slowly,
Knowing that a selfish change
Will help with nothing."
But I have arranged my thoughts into a haiku:
"Pity comes slowly,
Knowing that a selfish change
Will help with nothing."
December 18, 2020
While no one can find fault with Cather's writing skills, I find this story distasteful. I know that the story is nuanced but I have no use for stories where women are subservient, and people capitulate to a man just because he is the biggest and strongest guy around. Originally published in 1896, imagine what a depressing thing this would have been for women to read. I'm guessing it didn't motivate anyone to move to the plains either. C/D narrated by Chris McGlasson.
March 10, 2019
While I did enjoy Cather's wonderful prose, I just didn't love the story itself very much.
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April 15, 2014Enjoyed Short Stories--Classic Women's Fiction on road trip with Mom from Winona Lake to Chicago
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews