How many books do you know that have an exclamation point in the title? Probably not too many. A title usually gives the reader some idea what the book is about, but O Pioneers! makes a statement in of itself. And then, the novel isn't even about pioneers, but about their descendants on the Great Plains.
What's up with that, indeed?
Well, it turns out the title cites a poem, "Pioneers, O Pioneers!," written in 1865 by the American poet Walt Whitman. For an online version of the poem, check this out. We promise you'll like it.
On the one hand, this title captures some of the triumphant spirit of his poem for Cather's novel. But on the other hand, this overt reference to Whitman's poem gives Cather a chance to reevaluate the legacy of westward expansion for the 20th century. While Whitman raves about the pioneers of his day, cheering them on toward bigger and better pastures, Cather's novel is all about the drama, hardships and self-discovery that happen once those pioneers have settled.