The book Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink is about a girl named Caddie Woodlawn who likes to explore the woods of Western Wisconsin with her two brothers, Tom, and Warren. Caddie didn't do normal tasks for girls at the time, like sewing, cooking, and cleaning, but instead were like boys who ran wild outside and adventures. Her mother didn’t support her to be a tomboy, but it was her father who allowed and told her to do so. Caddie was also a friend of the Indians who lived nearby, especially Indian John. In the story, Uncle Edmund, Mrs. Woodlawn’s younger brother, and cousin Annabelle came to visit.
The relationships between white settlers and Indians has always been changing. When the white settlers first arrived in Indian territory, they fought each other for land and resources, and most Indians were forced out of their own land. Then, many became enemies with each other. The settlers also stole livestocks, burned down and looted houses, and committed mass murder. But, in the story, some of the settlers, like Tom, Caddie, and Warren, were actually treated very nicely by the Indians and they were kind to them too, especially Indian John. The Woodlawn children will often pay visits to John’s tribe, even though many others didn’t encourage them to do so. Later in the story, Caddie even traveled to the Indians to give them a warning of how some people are plotting to kill them first after the massacre scare. Some Indians and the white settlers regard each other as enemies, but others actually are friends with each other.
Having self-reliance helps one to learn independence and be able to help themselves. When many of the settlers first came to new land, like the Woodlawns, they were not familiar with the landscape and places to find food and other resources. They had to rely on themselves and their friends and family, since there might be other Indian tribes nearby who might know, but it is very risky to ask for help from enemies. Caddie also learned to be more self-reliant. When Caddie was repairing the circuit rider's clock, she learned how to fix it by herself with the help of her father who encouraged her. When unfamiliar to the surroundings, one has to learn how to depend on themselves and possess the skills required for survival.
Hard work is necessary for success and the ability to overcome obstacles when needing to. It is always beneficial to be able to work especially during rough times, even when it is hard. When Mr. Woodlawn talked about his childhood, he mentioned how hard it was to make money and so he had to work very hard to get only a little. He used to dance and many people will watch, and occasionally they will drop a few pieces of money. He had to work so hard for so little money. The children learned to work hard in order to earn money. Tom, in order to buy the valentine for Katie, had to work in the Dunville store to earn money, since he didn’t have the silver dollar like Caddie. They were also involved in some family chores, like plowing. While two of the kids are telling stories, the other plows, and they take turns doing so. Hard work teaches us dedication and determination.
Self-reliance and hard work are all necessities of life. Self-reliance teaches us to be able to be more independent and be able to achieve things ourselves. Caddie learned to fix the circuit rider’s clock by herself, with only a bit of assistance from her father who encouraged her. Hard work teaches us to have dedication and determination. When he was young, Mr. Woodlawn danced in the streets and worked so hard just to earn a little bit of money. The relationships between Indians and white settlers are different. To some people, they regard each other as enemies, but to Caddie, the Indians are her friends, like Indian John.
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