My Antonia :: essays research papers

My Antoniaby Willa CatherAuthor Willa Sibert Cather, nor-easts most noted author was natural in Virginia. At the age of ten she moved with her family to Webster County, northeastward. Many of Cathers acquaintances and cerise Cloud area scenes can be recognized in her writings.Cather wrote poetry, pathetic stories, essays and impertinents, winning many awards. In 1920 she won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel adept of Ours, about a Nebraska farm boy who went off to gentlemans gentleman War I.Willa Cathers reputation as one of Americas finest novelists rests on her novels about Nebraska and the American Southwest. These novels express her deep love of the land and her distaste for the materialism and conformism of modern life.Devoted to values such as the splendour of family and the need for human courage and dignity, she created strong female characters whose sort of effect and determination had previously been attributed to only men.My Antonia, one of Cathers best works, is an unconventional, romantic novel of prairie life. It tells the story of a remarkable muliebrity whose strength and passion epitomise the pioneer spirit.CharactersJim core group - The man narrating the story.Antonia Shimerda -The daughter of Bohemian immigrants and the heroine of the story.Ambrosch Shimerda - Antonias mean fellowMarek Shimerda -Antonias mentally disabled brother.Yulka Shimerda - Antonias younger sister.Mr. and Mrs. Shimerda - Antonias gently father who committed suicide, and her bitter, kvetch mother.Larry Donovan - The man Antonia thought was going to marry her.Lena Lingard - A girl that Jim grew up with and was successful.Anton Cuzak - Antonias husband.The BookThe book begins with an introduction. In the introduction it tells about James Quale Burden (Jim Burden) and how the story came to be pen. The introduction is written by a woman who is an old friend to Jim and who grew up in the same Nebraska town as he did. They are both now living in New York where Jim is a successful lawyer.She tells about Jims wife, Genevieve, who she does not like, and doesnt think she is substantially suited for Jim. They start talking about Antonia, who they both knew and admired, and wondering wherefore something wasnt written about her. Months later, Jim brings her what he had written and She writes the narrative as Jim had written it.The story begins with ten year old Jim Burden traveling from Virginia to Nebraska to live with his grandparents after losing his parents.