My Antonia Willa Cather Book Summary

**Prof. Dr. Sinsi** · 10-21-2012

My Antonia Willa Cather Book Summary

"My Antonia" is a novel by Willa Cather, published in 1918

This novel by Cather takes the form of a memoir by Jim Burden, recounting the life of his childhood friend Antonia Shimerda, the eldest daughter of an immigrant Bohemian family of farmers in Black Hawk, Nebraska

The story covers mainly the growing years of Jim and Antonia from their childhood, early teens, innocent friendships, to the "coming of age" as adults and their relationships

till in her early teens, Antonia is forced to work in the fields like a man when her father ends his life by committing suicide

Later, she works as a hired girl for the Harling family

For some years, she remains with the Harlings

She only left when she refused Mr Harling's demand that she stop attending the town's Saturday night dances lest she loses her reputation

Antonia takes up a similar position with Wick Cutter and his wife

She later left, driven by Wick's amorous attentions

Meanwhile, Jim enters college in Lincoln, Nebraska, followed by moving East to study in Harvard

When he returns to Black Hawk two years later, Jim learns that Antonia has been cheated by a guy named Larry Donovan, a flashy railroad man she had sporadically dated years before

Donovan pretended he wanted to marry her but abandons her in Denver, Colorado

Pregnant and unwed, Antonia returns to her mother's farm outside Black Hawk

She has no choice but to resume her hardworking routine at the farm

In due course she gives birth to a daughter

Jim has a friendly reunion with Antonia before he leaves again After a reunion with Antonia, Jim goes back to the East to attend Harvard Law School

Finally, Antonia marries a fellow Bohemian, Anton Cuzak

When Jim comes home 20 years later, he visits Antonia and her husband on the farm they have built

He finds her physically worn out but thoroughly fulfilled with life

The poignant title in itself "My Antonia" reveals that despite the growing physical, emotional and intellectual separation of their lives, Antonia remains such a part of his life from a distance, and yet has continued to follow through the life of Antonia, his symbolic woman of strength, tenacity and courage, coping through tears, disappointments, tragedy, in which she serves to accept from whatever life offers

10-21-2012	#1
Prof. Dr. Sinsi	My Antonia Willa Cather Book Summary My Antonia Willa Cather Book Summary "My Antonia" is a novel by Willa Cather, published in 1918 This novel by Cather takes the form of a memoir by Jim Burden, recounting the life of his childhood friend Antonia Shimerda, the eldest daughter of an immigrant Bohemian family of farmers in Black Hawk, Nebraska The story covers mainly the growing years of Jim and Antonia from their childhood, early teens, innocent friendships, to the "coming of age" as adults and their relationships till in her early teens, Antonia is forced to work in the fields like a man when her father ends his life by committing suicide Later, she works as a hired girl for the Harling family For some years, she remains with the Harlings She only left when she refused Mr Harling's demand that she stop attending the town's Saturday night dances lest she loses her reputation Antonia takes up a similar position with Wick Cutter and his wife She later left, driven by Wick's amorous attentions Meanwhile, Jim enters college in Lincoln, Nebraska, followed by moving East to study in Harvard When he returns to Black Hawk two years later, Jim learns that Antonia has been cheated by a guy named Larry Donovan, a flashy railroad man she had sporadically dated years before Donovan pretended he wanted to marry her but abandons her in Denver, Colorado Pregnant and unwed, Antonia returns to her mother's farm outside Black Hawk She has no choice but to resume her hardworking routine at the farm In due course she gives birth to a daughter Jim has a friendly reunion with Antonia before he leaves again After a reunion with Antonia, Jim goes back to the East to attend Harvard Law School Finally, Antonia marries a fellow Bohemian, Anton Cuzak When Jim comes home 20 years later, he visits Antonia and her husband on the farm they have built He finds her physically worn out but thoroughly fulfilled with life The poignant title in itself "My Antonia" reveals that despite the growing physical, emotional and intellectual separation of their lives, Antonia remains such a part of his life from a distance, and yet has continued to follow through the life of Antonia, his symbolic woman of strength, tenacity and courage, coping through tears, disappointments, tragedy, in which she serves to accept from whatever life offers