Essay Questions

How do women in ‘A Thousand Acres’ by Smiley prove that they can do better in society given an opportunity?

One of the main issues Smiley focuses on in her book is discrimination against women in society. The author talks explicitly about the female characters, Rose and Ginny. These two women are confined to work indoors because their husbands believe that women are meant to take care of children and household duties. However, Rose and Ginny go against the wishes and restrictions of their husbands to prove their capability. In the process, Rose builds a property, and she becomes a landlady while Ginny educates herself until she qualifies with a degree. Therefore, Rose and Ginny prove that women can play a significant role in uplifting their living standards given equal opportunities and treatment.

What does Ginny mean when she asks and answers the question, “What is a farmer? A farmer is a man who feeds the world”?

Ginny is the narrator of the book ‘A Thousand Acres,' and she says this statement to emphasize the significance of farming. Without a farmer, the world will sleep hungry. The narrator's farmer values farming, and he uses a thousand-acre piece of land to feed his family and the world. Larry teaches his children the significance of farming. According to Larry, agriculture is a livelihood, and it is a gift from the creator.

Is the title of the book, 'A thousand Acres,' ironic?

Throughout the book, the narrator hints that they own a substantial piece of land, and their neighbors also have big tracks of land. The impression the reader gets is that people live a significant distance apart because of their lands size. Ironically, the narrator says that privacy does not exist in their lives because they know what their neighbors do in their houses. The reader finds it difficult to comprehend how the people know their neighbors' private affairs while they are living very far from one another.