Nonfiction Blog 11/30/15

     

Women of the Wild West

By: Katherine Krohn

Finished 

The nonfiction book I am currently reading is called Women of the Wild West by Katherine Krohn. This book has mini biographies in it about daring women who lived through the wild west. Each of the women I have read about were considered odd to do something that was not considered usual. In the book the women I have read about are Calamity Jane, Annie Oakley, Sacagawea, Mary Jane Caples, Luzena Stanley Wilson, Virginia Reed, Eliza Hustler, Molly Sanford, Narcissa Whitman, Abigail Hathaway King, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Margret Tobin Brown. The book describes the hardships and experiences that the women endured. Some of these women faced events that a normal person wouldn't have been able to survive, with their endurance and faith they did. 

       A passage from the book that is very interesting to me is, "In her later years, Annie kept busy shooting in local competition and teaching women how to use guns. Annie gave free shootings to more two thousand women. She trained more than 15 thousand women in firearm safety and marksmanship. She also gave benefit shooting performances. All proceeds went to children's charities and to young women who wanted to pursue a college education. Annie helped over twenty women attend college. On November 3, 1926, in Greenville, Ohio, Annie Oakley died after a short illness. Just a few weeks later, Frank Butler followed his beloved wife. Throughout her life, Annie Oakley reached out to help those in need. She cared about people, especially children. Annie made one final act of generosity shortly before her death. She had her many silver and gold medals melted down and gave the money they earned to a children's charity." This passage is interesting to me because it describes how Annie Oakley did so much for women and children. It made me realize how generous she was and how she devoted part of her life to other people. It is interesting to think that one person could help and touch the lives of so many other people. She helped numerous people change their lives and careers. I feel like she was one of those people that would do whatever it takes to improve a life of an unfortunate person. I was astonished when I read this passage that she had her medals melted to give to charity. This passage was very interesting to me.

     After reading this book I will remember a lot of things. One of these things is that women had a certain role during the Wild West. Women were usually taught to care for children, cook, clean, and serve their husbands. The people in my book broke these rules, they provided for themselves and they didn't take orders from anybody else. I will always remember how they broke the rules of society and the rules of role playing. Another thing that I will remember was how determined the women were that I read about. Some of these women went on journey's for months or years to find a better life. Sometimes with only faith to keep them going. Being that determined helped them make a better life for themselves and kept them from dying. One of these women was Virginia Reed. She was a survivor of the Donner Party, if she didn't have persistence to keep moving forward she would have died. I will alway remember that some women who lived during the Wild West had a certain role and they broke it, and that these women were very determined. 

  

Commented on:
Sumar A's Blog
Yazmin S's Blog
Sophie M's Blog