what does Alexandra, the main character of O Pioneers! learn?

I recently read this book for a lit course I am taking and found it very enjoyable and a good piece of American lit. I now have to write an essay arguing what the chief protagonist of the book, Alexandra Bergson, learned through her story. I'm wondering if anyone has any input on this. I don't want to steal your ideas for my paper :nono:, but I feel like O Pioneers! is a book that has so much in it - so much that is profound, escpecially as concerns the pioneer's relationship to the land, as well as so much thematic and symbolic material. I would appreciate hearing any thoughts or comments.

Also, I read Walt Whitman's poem "Pioneers, O Pioneers!" from which the title of the book is derived. It was a very powerful, passionate, and evocative poem, and I liked it a lot. I think Cather picked up on a lot of Whitman's passion and vivid imagery in that poem and translated it into a novel. Does anyone have any other ideas on how else Whitman's poem may have influenced Cather's book?