My Antonia
Willa Cather was born on December 7, 1875 in Back Creek Valley, Virginia. After graduating from high school in 1890 she moved to the state capital in Lincoln so she could study for her entrance to the University of Nebraska. There she spent most of her time editing the school magazine and writing short play reviews. In the next few years she wrote many short stories. In 1913 Willa wrote her first novel, O Pioneers. In years to come she wrote novels like The Professor's House, in 1925 My Mortal Enemy, in 1926, and Death Comes for the Archbishop, in 1927. Perhaps the most personal novel she wrote was My Antonia, in 1917. One reason this is so personal to her is because she used a childhood friend, Annie Sadilek, as the protagonist in the novel. In Willa Cather's novel, My Antonia, there are several character traits, life choices, and values that contribute to the protagonist Antonia Shimerda's happy life. Antonia Shimerda's character traits are one thing that helps lead her to a happy life. One such trait is that Antonia is a strong individual. She is physically strong from working in the fields as a young girl. She discovers masculine independence and strength by plowing the ground and completing other oppressive work around th
y of dancing and listening to the music may come from her father, who was a musician.[1] Other then dancing she has had to work like a man in the fields to care for her family. Dancing becomes the sole source of fun and pleasure that enters her life. Another thing that Antonia needs to experience is having more girl-friends. Staying on the farm does not give her very many opportunities to make new friends.[6] As she moves to the city and becomes more like a woman, she is able to have more friends in her life. Additionally, by moving to the city and getting away from the farm life, Antonia is able to expericance two different lives: the life on the farm, and the life in the city. By living each of them, she is able to make a decision concerning where she wants to spend the rest of her life. Another significant choice that Antonia makes is returning to the farm from Denver. In Denver she is hurt by Larry Donoven, an abuser who leaves her.[3] Because of this she decides that the! city life is not for her. Antonia feels she needs to regain her independence, so she moves back to the farm to work in the fields. There she shuts herself off from outside society. A final choice in the novel that Antonia makes is to not marry Jim Burden.[5] She doesn't make her decision because of absence of love but on their different life styles. Jim Burden is a city boy who doesn't really understand the farm life. Antonia is the opposite of this. She loves the country and doesn't understand the ways of city life. Antonia feels nostalgic when she thinks about Jim Burden and their past, but this is not a good, and healthy reason for marriage. e farm. Bending over, using her hands, and using her muscles with all of her might to com
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Approximate Word count = 1160
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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