My Ántonia

In the novel “My Antonia” by Willa Cather, it is debatable whether characters Jim or Antonia learned more throughout their relationship. Personally, I believe that Jim learned more throughout their relationship. Considering that Jim is the narrator of the story, we get to see his inner thoughts, and never have confirmation of Antonia’s feelings, we just know what Jim thinks she has learned. Most first-person narrators can be considered unreliable, because we will never be certain on the feelings…

Feminism in Literature (A detailed analysis of Feminism in, Story of an Hour; My Antonia; and Yellow Wallpaper) “In November 2015, Hillary Clinton (1947–)—former U.S. Secretary of State, former U.S. Senator, and former U.S. First Lady—was the frontrunner in the race for the Democratic nomination in the U.S. presidential election of 2016, and was heavily favored to secure the nomination” (Collins Lines 1-3). In today’s world women are accepted into society as an equal of man, and of men of all…

The Great American West An Analysis of Willa Cather’s “My Antonia” The feminist movement in America was a time of great struggle, change, and most importantly retaliation. Considering the low status of women at that time, being subordinate to their husbands, it was difficult for them to give their. This led many women to the outlet of writing; writing was often a way for them to display their knowledge and independence and begin this new revolution which would disturb the order of things which…

In My Ántonia, by Willa Cather explores the hardship life of living in the wild prairies of Nebraska as people immigrant further west from already established areas of civilization. While many themes are presented during the novel, the subject of gender roles within her female characters of the novel question the stereotypical norms of men and women. The women portrayed in the text become independent, active and strong through the situations presented to them by their surroundings. The physical…

Femininity in American literature is more often seen as curse rather than a gift. In the novels The Great Gatsby and My Antonia, men are the very essence of women’s beings. The female identity in the novels is virtually nonexistent as they are seen through skewed perceptions. The complexity of the characters of Daisy and Antonia is compromised by their portrayal from the male gaze, limiting their ability to serve as anything more than idealized symbols with the sole purpose of pleasing men.…

1900's often came with merely the clothes on their backs. They had no idea where they would be resting their heads at the end of the day. Typically, where most lived was not glamorous. This is also true for the family of the Shimerdas in the novel My Ántonia by Willa Cather. The Bohemian immigrants came into the small town of Black Hawk, Nebraska where their living quarters were worth much less than they paid. However, their friends, The Burdens', home was severely different. The Burdens were an…

the complexities of the human condition and all it entails, has entailed, and may yet still entail. But it is what humanity does with its fleeting time on Earth that will make more difference than any of us could ever imagine. To instigate with My Antonia, this tale speaks of everything that America was built on; Faith, family, and immigration to name just a few. To put it in excerpt form, “At any rate, that is happiness; to be dissolved into something great. When it comes to one, it comes as…

My Antonia By Willa Cather Pg 16 We learn of Jim’s grandfather’s influence. “But, as he uttered it, it became oracular, the most sacred of words.” The wording chosen in this passage illustrates the author’s prevalence to focus on personifying odd things such as words to convey certain important concepts, such as Jim’s grandfather’s broad influence. His influence suggested his wise demeanor, considering a major theme of Jim’s rebellious manner, especially towards his grandparents Pg 26 Mr.…

Throughout the books of My Ántonia, society and class play an increasingly prevalent part in Jim’s life as he grows old revealing how status dictates success. The timeline of the book portrays the social tensions between the immigrants and the white families as Jim’s perspective on the atmosphere steadily expands. On the farm, there is a common theme of simplicity and natural settings, in town, Jim is able to comprehend the underlying contempt the merchant families have for the foreigners, and…

Throughout the first reading assignment for My Ántonia Willa Cather uses vivid imagery to accentuate Jim Burden’s journey. The first signs of imagery are noted in the introduction where an unknown narrator describes the Nebraskan fields as “never-ending miles of ripe wheat.” There, under the “burning summers when the world lies green and billowy beneath a brilliant sky,” Burden’s childhood rears his love for the great country and he soon begins “to lose himself in those big Western dreams.” He…