A major theme of the book is that of relocating; in the instance from De Smet, South Dakota, to Mansfield, Missouri. The purpose of the family move was to seek economic security in a place known for yielding good crops and offering available and affordable land. The destination is openly vituperated by several travelers met on the road, but this does not overtly worry Wilder who had determined that Missouri must be a suitable place at any hazard. Thousands of families relocated during the same time period, across the same roads, and for the same or similar reasons; Wilder notes meeting many hundreds of individuals immigrating to locations with perceived advantages.
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