Summary:
An extensive review of the book My Antonia by Willa Cather, which includes a synopsis of the story, a literary analysis of Cather's style, and sketches of three of the characters in the novel.
My Antonia Final Assessment: The Reader's Guide
Table of Contents
- Picture: The Struggle-Page 1
- Synopsis of My Antonia-Page 2 thru 3
- Literary Criticism
A. Cather's Style-Page 4
B. Theme Development- Page 5
- Portrait of a Villian: Wick Cutter-Page 6 thru 7
- Minor Character Sketch: Samson d' Arnault & Russian Peter-Page 8 and 9
- Antonia's Journal:" The Shimerdas", "The Hired Girls", and "Cuzak's Boys" Entries- Pages 10 thru 12
Synopsis of My Antonia
The book My Antonia is recollection from a Harvard graduated lawyer's past with a recently arrived young Bohemian girl by the name of Antonia. This young man is none other than James Quayle Burden who is orphaned at the age of a mere ten years old and is sent to live with his grandparents in Nebraska. Jim soon meets a family of Bohemian immigrants who had recently bought a farm near his grandparents' neighborhood. As Jim spends more time with Antonia he realizes that she is a quick learner and decides to teach her English while they disburse the whole fall together. Then their life takes a tragic twist as Mr. Shrimeda commits suicide after his two Russian friends, Peter and Pavel, depart from his life and goes into a severe depression. Soon after burying Mr. Shrimeda's body Antonia and Jim distance each other unconsciously until Jim and his grandparents decide to move into Black Hawk. Not much time passes when Antonia gets a job at a neighboring family to Jim. The Harlings hire Antonia with recommendation from Jim's grandparents and is put to the test while cooking, cleaning, and doing all the basic chores around the house. While Antonia is in town she starts going to dancing tents in which she meets up with Jim and other of her friends that around town are called the "Hired girls." Then after the whole fight with Wick Cutter, Jim decides to go to a university in Lincoln, which had recently offered him a spot where George Cleric tutors him. During Jim's second year at Lincoln he commences meetings with Lena Lingard. Afterwards George Cleric and Jim head over to Harvard where Jim completes his two years of study. Then after Harvard Jim heads to law school and graduates. During this period of time in which Jim is absent from the countryside, Antonia marries a man by the name of Larry Donovan and lives with him in Denver until she is abandoned. Then Jim hears about Antonia's situation from his grandparents and he decides to pay her a visit. Twenty years later Jim, a prosperous New York lawyer, visits again only to find her married to Cuzak, a man of Bohemian origin and father of Antonia's many children. Then as Jim leaves he reminisces over the great moments in which he should cherish for the rest of his life.
Literary Criticism A.: Cather's Style
QuoteResponse
- "I sat down in the middle of the garden, where snakes could scarcely approach unseen, and leaned my back against a warm yellow pumpkin. There were some ground-cherry bushes growing along in furrows, full of fruit. I turned back the papery triangular sheaths that protected the berries and ate a few. All about me giant grasshoppers, twice as big as any I had ever seen before, were doing acrobatic feats among the dried vines. The grasshoppers ........." (PAGE 14)1. Cather's style is very descriptive of characters and the surroundings around them.
- Cather has a tendency of describing many people and their surroundings as when she implicates D' Arnault in the story or when she describes the garden Jim is in at. Cather gets into detail when talking about Jim so vividly described for example on page 14 Cather says " I turned back the papery triangular sheaths and ate a few." This quote shows Cathers ability to write not only with detail but also with sensory language and also figurative language in one single sentence. Another great spot to view her descriptive works is in the same spot of before when she describes the bugs around Jim for example "the grasshoppers were performing acrobatic feats" and the "vermilion covered" backs of the gay ladybugs trying to convey a sense of tranquility as it describes everything and a happy mood. This is another factor in Cather's intensely descriptive writing style. Though sometimes it might not appear as much but as we fin out in "Hired Girls" she describes the sun in a very symbolic way saying that "as they watched that ball continued to drop" meaning that this sunset was the only witness to the memories that held these people together in unity like Jim and Antonia who have kept their relationship even after marriage and after life has treated them either good or bad they will still be bonded by the memories that the sun holds about the country and beginning of Jim and Antonia's friendship.
Portrayal of a Villain
The most evil villain there could ever be is none other than Wycliffe Wick Cutter, the power hungry loan shark. Wick Cutter is very manipulative as shown when the Shrimeadas first came in to town when the Bohemians bought a farm in which nothing was good and to think that Cutter was charging as if they were in fact new, new as he claimed. Wick Cutter supposedly grew up piously as a young boy as it changed greatly over the years. Wick is not that young boy he describes himself as but a dirty, money hungry beast who's skin is rough and red and disgusting head is even talked about by Jim calling it a "pink, bald head" which he utterly detested. Not only is he just a loan shark but also what draws the line is wick Cutters attempted rape of Antonia. Since at the time Antonia was hired by Wick he decides that he is leaving town and advises her to keep watch on the house while he and his wife were away. What Antonia did not know was that Wick was luring her into a trap that she did not think had such great responsibility. Wick expected to make the people think he was away the supposed "rape" Antonia was going to report if she had not asked to take this great "responsibility" of her shoulders. Wick however is not satisfied that he tried to ruin Antonia's life by rape but even rips up her clothes in his state of delusional madness this insane man tends to have because of hi almost instable mind. What is most astonishing about Wick Cutter is his marriage. Somehow his marriage stays together no matter what happens because incredible to believe his wife seems to be fueled with hate and anger portrayed by the two of them. Because of his wife's fueling of the marriage on hate, she seems to take it overboard when Wick sends her off from her original train destination in order to meet with Antonia in the first place. Wick Cutter is a mischievous, womanizing, loan shark of who we all want a piece of but we can't give him his punishment because he has "honorably" fled the room.
Minor Character Sketch: Samson d' Arnault
Samson, or Blind d' Arnault was a heavy mulatto, on short legs that had became blind at a very young age. D' Arnault was born into slavery down south where his mother hid him from the master in order to keep him from catching sight of the baby that was not "born right" as his mother stated. This was because as a toddler he would have nervous motion throughout his body literally affecting him for life. D' Arnault's mother did not dislike his son but she sure thought that he was not looking good the more he grew. They noticed his sunken in eyes and discovered that not even his sight could impede him from where he was going. No matter how many whooping he got, Samson would not surrender in going because he proposed himself too. Then he truly started running away from home and to the Big House where he like to listen to people play their piano where he would soon follow until he finds himself startled and passes out by the shock he had. When the masters try to teach Arnault to play the piano they discover how talented this blind boy can learn the piano almost prodigiously like a Mozart of his time. When Samson was at the Big House his mother was ashamed that such an ugly boy was in the presence of the master. Whenever he tried to run she would drag Samson unmercifully for him not to go to the Big House. Then Mrs. Nellie and her music instructor teach Samson. Samson could play "as a Negro prodigy who played barbarously and wonderfully.
Minor Character Sketch: Russian Peter
Russian Peter is a fat man, and past acquaintance of the late Mr.Shrimeda. This man is a gay fellow who salutes everyone because of his friendly nature with people. Peter has grayish appearance as of like that of an old man but his face is rosy child like face. Before Peter had come to America Peter had been at a wedding with his great friend Pavel and committed their worst mistake ever, getting drunk. While Peter, Pavel, and the newly wedded couple they noticed a pack of wolves was approaching the sleigh with speed and so they threw out bait and it almost worked. First they threw out the wife and then the groom just to make sure they were not pursued as the pack busied them with the fresh flesh just sitting out there in the field. Then because of their idiotic acts were ostracized from Russian territory. When this was said they immediately leave to America only to receive a fatal blow to Pavel who dies and affects Russian Peter and Mr. Shrimeda where they lose almost all interest in life. Though that night they were blinded by the alcohol consumed during the wedding Russian Peter feels haunted by the spirits of that couple which he threw off the sleigh. He does not see any way of repairing this damage he has done with anything but the mind because it haunts his sleep to see the same image over and over again every night and no matter how much he cries or says he is repented does not vanishrom his tainted conscience.
Antonia's Journal Entries- "The Shrimeda's"
Dear Journal,
Today is the most mournful day of my life. Today we find my papa dead lying there motionless and my heart breaks into puzzle that will be hard to put back together if possible. Oh why has Papa left me alone in this world of misery we were brought to "prosper" in? Why has he decided to part as Pavel did? It is true that he was his friend but did he not have me to comfort him when he fell or when his feelings were hurt? It was not necessary for him to kill himself because we have new friends here like Jim and his grandparents. I wonder why but then at times I realize that he had lived longer in the old country and missed it much more than I do because I have only fourteen years of knowing the old country. Maybe Papa killed himself because of something I spoke to him about! Or not only me but also Mama or Ambrosh! But what could they have said to spark such ingenuity into my Papa! Was it Mama's constant reminders that we had nothing that drove Papa o his rotting grave? I do not know but my heart is filled deep with sorrow to know that nobody wants to bury my Papa, not even the Norwegians! But they don't understand how my Papa felt when he did. I don't care how many chores or work I do at home I would take Papas work too if only I could have him back.
Antonia's Journal Entries: "The Hired Girls"
Dear Journal,
Today was the most horrifying day of my life or Jim's I should say. I am deeply grateful to him for doing me a favor and staying at Wick Cutter's house because I felt deeply uncomfortable sleeping in a house in which he kept very specific instructions. At that moment I did not understand why Cutter had suddenly gone off and left her they're telling her not to bring anyone over or do anything wrong. My poor Jim! That sick man Cutter thought Jim was I but he found that out the hard way. As Cutter caressed Jims covered body he prepared to see who was inside the house if Cutter had changed the lock. Oh Jim was nearly strangled by this monstrous being but Jim knew had to defend himself and end the quarrel by throwing him out of the window! Oh my poor Jim got hurt and he came in with blood all over his face and a blackened eye that was nearly shut. He says hat he also got choked by Cutter but that he managed to get out of his grasp and then started swinging at Wick Cutter. I am glad that finally someone has taken this degenerated man out of Black Hawk not forever but for a quite long time. Now Jim is my hero for saving my life when I asked for his help. I swear if Wick Cutter comes back and Jim is still here he will probably survive against my Jim Burden.
Antonia's Journal Entries: "Cuzak's Boys"
Dear Journal,
Today a strange classy looking man came into my house with my daughters permission and as I started listening he was talking about me and who he was but I still could not connect names with the people I had met in my life until he started talking about Yulka and Ambrosch and Tiny then I knew who it was. No other than my beautiful Jim. I saw him all grown up with his masculinity to his fullest and there we talked. For hours we laughed, talked, and discussed love. Then I presented my children to him only to see him delightd especially when I presented him Leo. We taught our stories about our young years and then I talked to him about what happened to her life but it was nothing but trouble. Then I married Cuzak and my troubles ended for good and I am now almost toothless but he told the children that at once he was deeply in love with me and I started thinking about the future I had set for him as a young girl. Then we all listened to music made by my sweet sons and daughters until we were lost in a sea of melodies. I still could not believe that after all these years Jim still remembered me as beautiful as I was before and said I had not changed at all. I was amazed at this love he used to feel for me, a love I rejected unwillingly to believe Jim before.
This is the complete article, containing 2,491 words
(approx. 8 pages at 300 words per page).
