So Big

"So Big" by Edna Ferber is a novel written in the early 20th century." The story follows Selina DeJong, a young woman navigating life on a truck farm in Illinois after a tumultuous upbringing with her gambler father. As she balances her aspirations and the struggles of rural life, her character evolves against the backdrop of a predominantly Dutch immigrant community. "The opening of "So Big" introduces us to Selina DeJong's childhood and family background." Born to a tumultuous life with an absent mother and a gambling father, Selina bears the nickname "So Big," a term of endearment from her mother that she fought to escape. The narrative reveals her early life spent in Chicago and the various cities her father took them to, culminating in her eventual move to High Prairie. Here, she becomes a schoolteacher amidst Dutch farmers and struggles with the stark contrast between her dreams and her new reality, highlighting themes of ambition and the quest for personal identity. The emotions of her upbringing and her complexities as a woman in a challenging environment set the stage for her transformative journey throughout the novel.