Book Review: Hija del Cimarrón – Historical Fiction of the Great Depression
Did you know that not all “okies” emigrated during the Great Depression? Some stayed and endured their difficulties. These were tough and determined survivors, as described by author Samuel Hall in his novel, Daughter of the Cimarron, based on the real life experiences of the author’s mother.
Claire is struggling with a difficult marriage that ends soon after in the story. She is employed in a door-to-door street vendor team in the Midwest. A romance develops between Claire and her supervisor, Elmer.
After stops and starts and challenges, most notably the onset of the Depression, Claire and Elmer get married. Earning a living during such difficult times is not easy and eventually they leave the sales to other companies.
Adding to the challenges for Claire are her husband’s parents, who seem to have a habit of inviting themselves as “guests” whenever Claire and Elmer’s circumstances improve, or theirs fail.
Throughout her circumstances, Claire struggles with doubts and faith in God as the author takes us into a vivid landscape of the Midwest. Much of the story takes place in Ness County, Kansas, and the Oklahoma Panhandle. In the early chapters, we experience the life of door-to-door sales, not from the point of view of the person who opens the door, as we are used to, but from the perspective of the person who knocks on the door.
As Claire and her family move to more supportive means of raising a family, the challenges of the Great Depression threaten to undermine their happiness.
Most surprising was the description of the survival of the four main characters thanks to the crushed and cooked grain “acquired” from their landlord’s barn. Despite their desperate and exhausting circumstances, we see the characters, especially Claire, survive with dignity and grace.
This is not literary fiction, like a Steinbeck novel. And, although it is published by a Christian publisher, Daughter of the Cimarron it is not overtly a Christian novel, but a realistic historical fiction written from a Christian worldview. This novel lacks the rich symbolism and motifs of a novel like The Grapes of Wrath. The characters are also less vividly defined. Where the author of Daughter of the Cimarron has managed to lead the reader to the determination and perseverance of the main character by giving us the true story of a real person.
Another interesting feature of the novel is that it is the author’s personal backstory. By showing us the world, life and circumstances from which he was born, Samuel Hall has shown us that perseverance is a story, sometimes exhausting, sometimes exhilarating, and often entertaining.