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Themes of My Antonia (Love (Minor theme) (Familial love (Antonia and her…
Themes of My Antonia
Love (Minor theme)
platonic love
Jim and Antonia shared a platonic relationship as they were both friends whom could never forget one another, the novel highlights their journey together through life which grows stronger ans stronger day by day
Familial love
Antonia and her family
Antonia is an arch type mother earth who had no hesitation to say yes to whatever her family pleases, she was a women who loved her family more than anything, she depicts this familial love in book 1 and 5 where Jim sees her work hard for the benefit of her family, this characteristic of Antonia makes her very kind and enhances the arch type mother earth in her.
Lena for her family
Lena was a very coquettish personality whom ironically cares a lot for her family, she portrays her love for her family through the lavish amount of money she spends for the joy of her family, during summer she fails to hesitate to her brother and buys whatever he asks
Romantic love
Jim and Lena
Jim and Lena both shared a illusory passion for one another, this is said as illusory as both of then choose their career for it, Antonia was not fully satisfied with this relationship as she thought it was a obstacle Jim had to ignore to become successful in life, so she always commanded Lena to stay way from Jim
Antonia and Larry
Antonia had a very trustworthy love for Larry as she believed him even though the whole town advised her it was a wrong decision, Larry proves the town's opinion right by mercilessly betraying her after making her pregnant, this betrayal makes Antonia stronger and gives her the power, will and strength to stand against the patriarchal society and was proud of her baby Martha
nostalgia
through book 1 characters like Mr.Shimerda and Antonia show great pressure in forgetting their past and were really in need of it again, Antonia pulled herself through all this mental pressure and was determined to attain her great American dream, but on the other hand Mr.Shimerda was completely unable to forge his identity which gave him no choice but suicide.
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man and natural world
immigrants whom had seen America as a source for living had been given a land to farm and make a living out of it, and as farmers the weather conditions greatly matter and played a significant role in their lifestyle, when it was summer their was plenty of opportunity for harvest which meant a sufficient lifestyle with necessary needs while winter meant hardships had to tackled and to reach a life with enough food and warmth was quite a difficult task
the land itself is given its own identity as it acts as a medium which brought Jim and Antonia together, the prairie was one thing both these friends could never forget, they had spent unforgettable days of their life laughing and fighting in those lands which played an important role keeping the characters together.
immigrant experince
Jim throughout the novel shares his experience being a true friend to a immigrant who had faith in the land of America that it would be her pathway to success in life, the land failed give anyone success right away, it demanded sweat and sacrifice in return, so all the immigrants who arrived to America with high hopes had to work day and night every day all around the year to make their great American dream reality.
Cather draws up different immigrants experience in the land of America but portrays some as very significant ones
The Shimerdas
the Shimerdas where the ones which had to face extreme privation during their early days in America, they were forced to work hard and suffer more as hey had believed the wrong person. their misery makes the readers more happier when they actually reach their American dream.
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The Harlings
the Harlings were immigrants who were lucky enough to escape the pain and misfortune the Shimerdas had dealt with, they were provisioned with a stable life in Black Hawk which portray a complete irony to the Shimerdas' experience
gender inequality
the hired girls had served a very patriarchal society where they were considered as illiterate human beings and experienced the harder side of the society others didn't have to face this conveys the gender inequality they confronted during their path to success