Skylark

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.

Though water is scarce, its absence dominates the novel, with the water motif shaping both the physical and emotional struggles of the Witting family. The characters focus on the lack of rain, the dwindling water supply, and the relentless dryness of the prairie. Water is essential for life, and its scarcity highlights the contrasts between abundance and deprivation, and hope and despair. Water, or more often, its absence, shapes the central conflict of the novel, emphasizing the harsh realities of prairie life while also serving as a metaphor for emotional sustenance. The drought serves as both a literal and metaphorical crisis, representing the fragility of life on the prairie and the relentless struggle of homesteaders. The dry and cracked land, brittle vegetation, and parched animals create an image of hardship, reinforcing the novel’s exploration of resilience. 

The drought’s impact is deeply personal, especially on Jacob, whose identity as a farmer and provider is threatened by his inability to control the land’s fate. It also fuels a growing unease in the children that Sarah doesn’t want to stay in a place where survival is uncertain. The lack of water thus symbolizes the family’s vulnerability, not just to the forces of nature but also to the emotional strain of separation and uncertainty.