Poetry · Chapter
Big Crops of 1891 explained
The poem celebrates the abundant harvest of 1891, highlighting the favorable weather and the exceptional yields of grain, oats, and peas, which brought gratitude and prosperity to the community.
What happens
The poem celebrates the abundant harvest of 1891, highlighting the favorable weather and the exceptional yields of grain, oats, and peas, which brought gratitude and prosperity to the community.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the boy’s childish joy and naive belief that he can see Ameri…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Agriculture and Rural Economy
The poem focuses on the abundant crops of 1891, emphasizing the central role of farming and harvest in the region's prosperity.
- Nature and the Environment
The favorable weather—blessed showers of rain and cool air—is credited for the large, full ears of grain, highlighting the dependence on natural conditions.
- Community and Social Gatherings
The shared gratitude for the bountiful harvest implies a collective community experience, though no specific gathering is described.
Key passages
“Eighteen hundred and ninety-one For good crops it leads the van;”
The year 1891 is foremost among years for its excellent harvests.
Establishes the year as exceptional for crop yields.
“Forty bushel to the acre Makes flour that delights the baker.”
A yield of forty bushels per acre produces flour that pleases bakers.
Highlights the impressive yield and its positive impact on local baking.
“Fifty bushels to the acre Makes us grateful to our maker.”
A yield of fifty bushels per acre inspires gratitude toward God.
Emphasizes the spiritual gratitude for the abundant harvest.
