My Antonia
This remarkable piece of literature by Willa Cather is layered with its sense of place, connections between people and between people and places as well as visual, and surprisingly simple, descriptions of prairie life and events. The characters and the story are far more complex that at first appear. Even the simplistic tone of the narrative voice is deceptive in terms of the depth of feeling it ultimately reveals. Cather is the sort of author people read because they are told they "should" or that is "required." In that process, the reader discovers that Cather's writing, especially in "My Antonia" presents a clear and meaningful story for the common thinking person who daily deals with and conquers challenges every bit as fierce as those encountered by Antonia. "My Antonia" recalls the life of Jim Burden and retells the compelling story of the Shimerdas, with a special focus on Antonia, the girl who works in the fields like a man. Antonia Shemerda is a Bohemian immigrant to the Great Plains of America and serves embodiment of the classic American myth of a century ago. She arrives with her family in the Nebraska prairie to carve better lives for themselves from the untouched land as thousands before and
For Jim, she exemplifies the clear, undaunted human soul. In fact, she is what Jim Burden considers an example of the true spirit of America and what has made the country prosperous and great. It is a story of heart and courage that is able to transcend the eighty years between the tine it was written and the present. In short, the characters present the same dichotomous personalities that all people possess. Nonetheless, many of them still succeed and that struggle and resulting success is what Cather holds up as their individual and collective great accomplishments. Anyone who has driven across the vast openness of Nebraska sees the horizon broken only by farms and fields. Throughout "My Antonia," the reader learns that many of the strengths and weaknesses of one character are shared by another or several other characters. Jim Burden's memories tell of a land that is incredible in its imagery of the beauty of youn America and the expanding frontier. After his death, the Norwegians even refuse to permit the burial of Mr. Cather was apparently determined to show that there is both something positive and negative in every person. Using Antonia as an example again, the reader sees her generosity when she offers Jim her ring for teaching her some English and enthusiastically praises his killing the snake. At virtually every turn of the page, a different adversity or barrier against progress presents itself to challenge that clear soul. He is also unreasonably angry when Antonia lets herself be deceived by Larry. The reader finds it difficult to completely dislike every aspect of one character or fully approve of or enjoy every aspect of another.
Common topics in this essay:
Jim Burden,
Black Hawk,
Hawk Jim,
Using Antonia,
Throughout Antonia,
Willa Cather,
Jim Burden's,
Antonia Jim,
American Midwest,
Plains America,
jim burden,
black hawk,
memories tell land,
killing snake,
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tone narrative,
narrative voice,
reader learns,
antonia girl,
nebraska result reader,
growth changes,
jim burden's,
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Acceptance Essays
