Kalena: An 'Odysseus in the Midwest' – That's the Film I Want to See

While the summer blockbuster "Odysseus" takes center stage, the author finds herself drawn to a different kind of journey – an imagined adaptation of "Little House on the Prairie."

This reflection stems from a personal connection to the author Laura Ingalls Wilder's life, having visited key locations like Pepin, Wisconsin; De Smet, South Dakota; and Burr Oak, Iowa. The author notes a recent visit to Burr Oak, a place where the Ingalls family experienced hardship, occurring shortly after Donald Trump's 2024 Iowa caucus victory.

The author previously criticized the old television series starring Michael Landon for its sentimental portrayal, which she felt diluted Wilder's stark prose and subversive feminism with excessive sentimentality and gender stereotypes. Now, she turns her attention to the new Netflix version, describing it as safe and sanitized, with its depiction of the frontier and wilderness carefully curated. This version emphasizes friendship over confrontation with Native Americans.

However, the author argues that sometimes a new interpretation is needed to approach the truth, citing "Hamilton" and "The Odyssey" as examples of works that challenge historical stereotypes. She questions the trend of "sanitizing" narratives, wondering if the next step will be reimagining Scarlett O'Hara as an opponent of slavery. The author yearns for an adaptation that dares to explore the brutal realities hinted at in Wilder's books, acknowledging the censored nature of the original manuscripts. She points to Laura's awareness of her mother's racism and her father's recklessness in uprooting the family.

The author envisions an "Odysseus in the Midwest" film that would confront the harsh realities of pioneer life: tent camps, sod houses, barracks, and log cabins. It would depict malaria outbreaks, locust swarms, and blizzards, all set against the backdrop of forbidden land in Indian Territory, disregarding the forced displacement of Native Americans. This film would explore the repeated shattering of the American Dream across Kansas, Minnesota, and South Dakota.