Symbolism In My Antonia

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Recommended: Analysis of My Antonia

In My Antonia, Cather writes that Mr. Shimerda implores Jim to “Te-e-ach, tee-e-ach my Án-tonia” (book one: chapter three), though it is Jim who learns more. Jim is introduced as an orphan who has yet to discover who he is. Due to the loss of his parents, Jim travels to Black Hawk, Nebraska to live with his grandparents. After meeting the Schimerdas, an immigrant family, Jim begins teaching Ántonia English. Over the course of this friendship, Cather writes how Jim observes/admires Ántonia, leading to a new perspective on life and self-discovery. For instance, when Black Hawk goes through changes in its social hierarchy due to the immigrant arrivals, Jim explains, “The country girls were considered a menace to the social order.” However, Jim

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