My Antonia - Book Report essays

My Antonia - Book Report essays My Antonia, by Willa Cather, is a modernist novel with so much depth to it. The author addresses important issues of equality/non equality in marriage between husband and wife; the stereotype of women being unable to take care of themselves; the bond that children can achieve in childhood; and the lives of those children when they are no longer able to be young and carefree. My Antonia is presented in the first person, by the character Jim Burden. He tells the story of his childhood and his encounters with different people, and his special connection to his neighbor friend Antonia from the age of 10 on. Antonia Shimerda has a great influence on Jims life and it seems that everything he does and feels is somehow connected to her. Even after moving away, and not seeing Antonia for several years, he never forgets her, and never stops thinking about her. Jim Burden traveled by train to Black Hawk, Nebraska at the age of 10, from Virginia, after his parents died. He was to live with his grandparents on a farm. On the train, Jim first sees the Shimerdas, a Bohemian immigrant family traveling in the same direction. The Shimerdas happen to move to a neighboring farm near the Burdens, and Jim quickly interacts and becomes friendly with the children. He and Antonia, who is nearest to him in age and eager to learn English, become close and spend a lot of time together. The Shimerdas are not doing so well in the new country, and Mr. Shimerda kills himself. At this point in the story, the relationship between Antonia and Jim, as well as the Shimerdas and the rest of the community, weakens. Antonia begins working on the fields, and Jim and Antonia begin to spend less and less time with each other, but their bond remains strong. After a few years, the Burdens move from the farm into town, and shortly after Antonia takes a job as a housekeeper with the Harling family. Jim and Antonia begin to spend more time with each othe...