The emigration of the Shimerdas family from Bohemia to Nebraska brings an isolation to the family.
The fact that the Shimerdas do not speak English makes them live segregated and makes impossible for them to integrate to the new country. They depend on Peter Krajiek- which is the only Bohemian person that speak English- to help them to translate and communicate with other people. That vulnerability makes them the perfect prey for Krajiek. As Jimmy describes: “The Shimerdas were the first Bohemian family to come to this part of this country. Krajiek was their only interpreter, and could tell them anything he chose. They could not speak enough English to ask for advice (Cather p. 16).”
The isolation in the new country affects Mr. Shimerdas more than any of the other member of the family. Mr. Shimerdas feels isolate especially because he did not want to emigrate, left his group of friends and change his way of living. As Antonia says “My papa, he cry for leave his old friends what make music with him. He love very much the man what pay the long horn (Cather p. 59).” Later, when he starts a friendship with the Russians, Pavel and Peter, he is content to have some friends that understand …show more content…
Even after his dead, Mr. Shimerdas is isolate from others. The Norwegian church refuses to let the family buried Mr. Shimerdas in their grave yard and he is buried in one of the corners of their property (Cather p.73). Later, when Antonia moves to Black Hawk she starts working as a housemaid with the Harling (Cather p 99). Antonia, like the others Bohemian and Scandinavian girls cannot get other kind of job because they did not know enough English (Cather p 128), but also because immigrants were seen as an ignorant, as Jimmy describes the arrogance of people: “All foreigners were ignorant people who could not speak English… they were all Bohemians, all hired girls” (Cather p
The fact that the Shimerdas do not speak English makes them live segregated and makes impossible for them to integrate to the new country. They depend on Peter Krajiek- which is the only Bohemian person that speak English- to help them to translate and communicate with other people. That vulnerability makes them the perfect prey for Krajiek. As Jimmy describes: “The Shimerdas were the first Bohemian family to come to this part of this country. Krajiek was their only interpreter, and could tell them anything he chose. They could not speak enough English to ask for advice (Cather p. 16).”
The isolation in the new country affects Mr. Shimerdas more than any of the other member of the family. Mr. Shimerdas feels isolate especially because he did not want to emigrate, left his group of friends and change his way of living. As Antonia says “My papa, he cry for leave his old friends what make music with him. He love very much the man what pay the long horn (Cather p. 59).” Later, when he starts a friendship with the Russians, Pavel and Peter, he is content to have some friends that understand …show more content…
Even after his dead, Mr. Shimerdas is isolate from others. The Norwegian church refuses to let the family buried Mr. Shimerdas in their grave yard and he is buried in one of the corners of their property (Cather p.73). Later, when Antonia moves to Black Hawk she starts working as a housemaid with the Harling (Cather p 99). Antonia, like the others Bohemian and Scandinavian girls cannot get other kind of job because they did not know enough English (Cather p 128), but also because immigrants were seen as an ignorant, as Jimmy describes the arrogance of people: “All foreigners were ignorant people who could not speak English… they were all Bohemians, all hired girls” (Cather p