My Antonia Character Analysis Essay

Willa Cather the author of My Antonia, in the beginning, introduces an immigrant family the Shimerda’s and the main character Antonia. Antonia goes through a few tribulations and sufferings that affects her in specific ways. She manages to pull through in every situation and make things work for her family. Antonia is known for being courageous, affectionate, and adaptive. Antonia has distinct character traits, but one that sticks out the most is how vigorous she is mentally and physically. She works solidly in the fields for her family, and soon discovers masculine behavior. After Antonia lost her father, her masculine behavior develops further because she then starts taking care of the family. Later in life, she met someone named Larry and he betrays her with a kid out of wedlock. Antonia Shimerda admires her child, “from the first as dearly as if she’d had a ring on her finger, and was never ashamed of it” (248). Antonia raises her child by herself during this time period and out of wedlock absolutely satisfies her. Antonia has will power like this due to the lifestyle she lives, and the sacrifices she has gone …show more content…
Even though Antonia Shimerda has physical masculine behaviors, she still has the heart of kindness. After Mr. Shimerda commits suicide, Antonia takes it upon herself to help take care of her siblings since her mother only cares about herself. Mrs. Harling felt atrocious for Antonia, so they allow her to work around the house. Antonia establishes a bond with Mrs. Harling’s children “her greatest fault,[...] was that she so often stopped work and fell to playing with the children” (126). Antonia learns to love those children as if they were her own considering she was with them day and night. Antonia marries down the road and has an assorted amount of children, but whether or not they had the money to support them Antonia and her husband supply the children with enough love and