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Conflicting Ideologies in A Lost Lady railroads, woodpecker, ivy, marsh,…
Conflicting Ideologies in A Lost Lady 
Ivy Peters (Poison Ivy)
Who is he? Ivy comes from a prominent and wealthy local family. He eventually becomes a modern, morally ambiguous New West lawyer and businessman. After the death of Mr Forrester, Ivy capitalises on Mrs Forrester's vulnerability for his own financial gain.
Physical Description! "[His face] was red, and the flesh looked hard, as if it were swollen from bee-stings, or from an encounter with poison ivy" (Cather 14). As a young man, Ivy has a reputation for cruelty to animals as he walks with a gun and deliberately blinds a woodpecker that bothers him in front of Niel and his friends. Ivy is depicted as the villain in the novel.
What he represents!Cather uses Ivy Peter's character to show the transition from one era to another. He represents the modern New West. In doing so he plays a key role in destroying the old way of Sweet Water and their pioneering success through the railroads.
Ivy Peters and Mrs Forrester's Relationship! Soon after Mrs Forrester's husband dies, she grants the young lawyer Ivy Peters the right to take control of her land. The two characters engage in a romantic relationship at one point but in the end they marry different people. Ivy eventually becomes owner of the Forrester's property.
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Niel Herbert
Who is he? Niel is just a young boy when first introduced into the novel. Niel is the narrator of this novel, writing from his limited personal perspective. Niel's parents were originally from Kentucky; his mother died when he was five years old and therefore his uncle who is a lawyer in Sweet Water plays a key role in his life. He strongly opposes the perceived lack of morality and values of the New West.
Physical Description Niel does not describe himself physically but he does make clear that he is is kind, thoughtful and sensitive. He appears to naturally put the needs of others before himself. This is shown from the very start of the novel. When Ivy Peters cuts the eyes off a woodpecker, Niel's reaction is too go up into a tree to put the animal out of its misery, but he falls and breaks his arm while doing so. His following encounter with Mrs Forrester as she cares for him is key in forming an idealised image of her.
What he represents ! Niel is the reader's only source of information; he articulates the story through his personal perspective. He demonstrates the difficulty and pain that came with the transition from the old pioneer way of life to the New at the beginning of the 20th century. Niel experiences difficulty in letting go of this hopeful past, but also navigates how to accept the present.
Niel and Ivy Peters relationship! Niel's character encounters Ivy a few times throughout the long time span of the novel. It is clear that Niel does not respect Ivy, partly due to his ambiguous morality. When Niel leaves Sweeet Water to go to college, Ivy leases part of the Forrester property, which results in the marsh being drained. Niel is not pleased with this physical destruction of nature but Mrs. Forrester will not let him interfere with Ivy, because she is dependent on the income from the leased property.
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Mr Forrester (the Captain)
Physical Description! Mr Forrester is physically weak after falling from a horse and suffering two strokes. He is particularly imagined as being "sat in the garden" (Cather 71), appreciating the beauty of nature but being powerless to prevent the modernisation of the West and destruction of nature.
What he represents! Captain Forrester's physical deterioration represents the decline and end of the pioneering era.
Mr Forrester and Ivy Peters' Relationship!
Ivy Peters is the personification of the New West and therefore represents a warped version of the Captain's previous hopes for the pioneering West. In particular, Cather highlights their opposing positions about the environmental protection/destruction of the Sweet Water marsh.
Niel and Mr Forrester's relationship! When Captain Forrester has his second stroke, Niel leaves school for a year to help Mrs Forrester with caring duties. Niel respects Mr Forrester, particularly his Old West values and desire to preserve the natural beauty of Sweet Water.
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Who is he? Mr Forrester is considered a successful, pioneering man. He made his fortune building the railroads and is very proud of his young and beautiful wife.
Mrs. Marian Forrester.
Who is she?
Mrs, Forrester was twenty-five years younger than her husband when he “married her in California and brought her to Sweet Water a bride” (Cather 9). At first Mrs. Forrester is depicted as an ideal, domesticated wife and host, perfectly suited to the Pioneering West, however throughout the novel this identity is deconstructed. Mrs Forrester becomes restless and her over-dependence upon the attention and admiration of men is exposed. She attempts to adapt to and gain security in the New West.
Physical Description! In the early stages of the novel Mrs Forrester is described as a beautiful lady who was "captivating" (3). As the novel unfolds she physically deteriorates, growing"very pale" (47), however she still attracts the attention of many young men, even as she ages.
What she represents ! "In A Lost Lady... on one side, the heroine—Marian Forrester—is a pioneer but on the other side she is corrupt" (Nurnani, 87). Mrs Forrester is pioneering both in terms of her role in the construction of the railway line and her role as a subjective woman, particularly after her husband dies. However through the eyes of the narrator Niel, her New World priorities render her character morally ambiguous.
Mrs Forrester and Mr Forrester's Relationship! The Captain married Mrs Forrester in California and brought her home to Sweet Water. On the surface they are perceived as happy since the marriage gives Mrs Forrester security, however her freedom is limited, especially as Mr Forrester's health deteriorates. This is displayed when she tells Niel, “Mr Forrester is asleep. Let’s run down the hill, there’s no one to stop us” (Cather, 48).
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Mrs Forrester and Niel's Relationship! In his youth Niel falls in love with what Mrs Forrester represents; the ideal, domesticated, beautiful woman. However, as the novel unfolds and Niel grows up he struggles to preserve his image of her. After watching her first have an affair with Frank Ellinger and (after Mr Forrester's death) engaging in a romantic relationship with the young Ivy Peters, he finally abandons this image. At the end of the novel Niel decides that his positive perception of Mrs. Forrester had been based on Mr Forrester's influence over her.
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