Symbolism In My Antonia

Antonia and Jim become close friends throughout the story of “My Antonia.” Each learned from one another. However, Antonia benefited more from the relationship with Jim. Antonia was new to pioneer life in Nebraska. Antonia was a foreigner, who had to adapt to her new surroundings. Jim helped show her how to adjust to life in America. At first, Antonia did not want to learn English because she was working hard to help support her family. When Jim would teach Antonia English, she would often struggle. This struggle was discouraging to her, causing her to lose interest in learning. Antonia worked long physical labor hours, which made her lose interest in learning the new language. Jim, however, helped her overcome her disheartened feelings toward …show more content…
One symbolic example in the story was the reference to dogs. Jim can be compared or associated with the characteristics of a dog. This is so because Jim was raised in rural Nebraska, yet later in life he went on to bigger and better things. Jim attended a college and became a professional. However, in the end he finds his way home to Nebraska and Antonia. Just as a dog, Jim was able to find his way home. A quote in the story that shows this comparison is "...And how men kept a special kind of dog, with very short legs, to hunt him." Jim was a special kind of person because he had dreams and aspirations, which he accomplished. Antonia, throughout the story can be compared to a lark. In the beginning, Antonia was in an unfamiliar place and did not know the language or how to work. This is comparable to a lark when it first hatches out of its’ egg and cannot fly. She eventually overcomes these obstacles and learns how to speak English and how to work in the fields. Similarly, with time, a bird learns how fly and spreads its’ wings. Antonia would eventually have kids out of wedlock, and have the ability to provide for them by herself. This is comparable to a lark protecting and providing for her eggs. Jim and Antonia's relationship can be related to a prairie. Like a prairie, Jim and Antonia's relationship was vast and never ending. An example of this is