"My Antonia" by Willa Carther is centered around one character, Antonia Shimerda, and her life as a member of a pioneering family. She faces many hardships throughout her life but her experiences help to make her into a stronger person.
             As a child Antonia moved her homeland, Bohemia, to the plains of Nebraska. She not only left her country and culture behind but also moved to a country where she didn't understand the language. Through determination she learns English from the narrator of the story, Jim Burden. But because of her prior inability to communicate with most children she became somewhat isolated despite her friendship with Jim. This isolation may have caused her to develop her unusually strong bond with her family, most of all with her father. In fact, the largest hardship she ever endures is likely her father's suicide. His death leaves his family poorer with his unstable son Ambrosch as head of the family. Armed with her strong sense of loyalty, Antonia begins to do "man's" work by helping Ambrosch manage the farm. Eventually, because of her family's need for money, Antonia hires herself out as a house girl. Her new job required her to move into town which presented a minor obstacle for her. In addition to becoming separated from her family she would also have to deal with becoming a town girl. Instead of becoming the typical town girl her age her hard life has taught her dignity and caused her to grow up young.
             As a dignified young lady is how Jim Burden views Antonia before he makes his transition from the farming world to the business world. After many years of studying and working in the world of commerce he returns to find that Antonia has had a child out of wedlock and is the mother of a brood of children resembling her own brothers and sisters. She still carried herself with dignity even though people had lost respect for her. She was still loyal,hard working, and dignified. Throughout everything that happe...