Reviewed by:Norlan
De Groot Key words: American Literature,
Fiction, Novel
Recommended Reading Level:
Grades 11, 12, adult
Theme: A vigorous human
spirit can thrive in any circumstances.
Summary: Narrator Jim Burden
tells the story of Antonia Shimerda, who immigrated from Bohemia to Nebraska
when the land was still being settled by Europeans. On the surface, the
book traces Antonia’s life from her first meeting with Jim, traveling to
the land, until she is married and has a farm, children and a grandchild
of her own. On a deeper level, this book is about the pioneer spirit and
the land that made that spirit come alive.
Strengths: If you ever thought
Nebraska was boring, read this book and think again. Cather makes the land,
itself, come alive, and then populates it with one of the more powerful
characters in American literature: Antonia Shimerda. Powerful narrative
descriptions of the people and the prairie run throughout the book.
Weaknesses: The organization
is not like a typical novel. Cather sets it up as a series of recollections
by Jim Burden about the years he spent growing up in Nebraska and getting
to know Antonia. This works to a point, but it also seems a bit like a
convenient excuse to forget about good organization.
Other Notes:
Cather is known for her love of contrasts. In My Antonia it comes out especially
strong in her contrasts of violent scenes with scenes about the monotony
of the prairie. These violent scenes are told as matter-of-factly as if
she were talking about plowing the back forty—which in a way makes them
so disturbing. Cather seems to be saying that the spirit of the prairie
takes the struggles of life in stride.
Also note that Cather wrote this novel before social taboos against smoking
and drinking became so strong. Some of this activity does occur in the
book, but it is not significant enough to be of great concern.
Cather,
Willa. My Antonia. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1995.