(2) "While Europe figures in My Antonia as a lost Eden, or a repository of terrible secrets that haunts the immigrants in their new land, the novel is solidly grounded in America, its language the uncluttered idiom of the farmers and townspeople of Webster County, Nebraska" (ix). Once again, Kathleen Norris comments on the hardships and secrets that "haunt" the immigrants and townspeople that set

(6) "When Jim describes the 'guarded mode of existence' in town as 'like living under a tyranny,' he speaks a truth about humanity that we know all to well in the late twentieth century. The well-guarded conformity of the many not only stifles the independent spirit, it can destroy it." In this excerpt, I believe Norris is conveying that we in today's society are similar to the characters of My Antonia in the fact that the independence of us as individuals and as a nation is snuffed out by guarding our actions so closely.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Burden Antonia, Cather's Antonia, Kathleen Norris, Jim Burden, Antonia Shimerda's, antonia lost, County Nebraska, kathleen norris, thriving family, lost fire, antonia lost fire, jim burden, ,
Approximate Word count = 618
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)