My Antonia was written by Willa Cather in 1918. The story stars out with a young boy named Jim Burden. E travels by cross- country train to live with his grandparents at the age of ten. His grandparents live on the Nebraska frontier. He has just recently lost both of his parents, and he is accompanied by a farm hand named Jake. On the same train is a bohemian family that can barley speak English. They are going to the same place. When Jim reaches the station he is greeted by Otto Fuchs, an Austrian desperado cowboy. Soon Jim goes to meet the bohemians that were on the train with him. Jim meets Mr. Shimerda, an educated musician; Mrs. Shimerda, a very complaining and demanding woman; the oldest son Ambrosch, who is stubborn; Marek, a mentally challenged boy; and Yulka, a young and pretty girl. The oldest daughter is named Antonia. Antonia and Jim instantly become friends, and they spend a lot of time together. Jim also tries to teach her English. The Burdens try to help out the Shimerdas as much as they can, because the Shimerdas are not doing so well in the new country.
             Summer passes, and soon winter comes. Jim gets very sick, and Pavel (one of the French guys that befriend the Shimerdas) dies after unburdening his heart with a horrible story from his past. Mr. Shimerda becomes depressed after Peter moves away. The Burdens celebrate Christmas and make presents for each other since they cannot get into town to buy some. In the middle of the biggest snowstorms in ten years, Mr. Shimerda shoots himself after arranging himself neatly in the barn. Jake suspects that Krajiek killed him, but nothing is ever proven. Jim is left in the house by himself some days afterwards, and he senses that Mr. Shimerda's spirit resting on his way back to his homeland. Mr.Shimerda is buried at the corner of his property. After the funeral the Burde
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