My Ántonia Willa Cather 1918 Power-Point by Victoria Hancock “Optima dies… prima fugit”

Plot Synopsis  My Ántonia is written in Jim Burdens point of view of his childhood and his adventures as a boy who moves to Nebraska and meets a young girl who had come to America with her family to have more opportunities. They become best friends and help each other through everything that life has to entail. No matter where these two go, they are sure to find each other once again in this captivating novel about life in the settlement times.

“It was as if all the agreeable sensations possible to creatures of flesh and blood were heaped up on those black-and-white keys, and he were gloating over them and trickling them through his yellow fingers.” (115) One of my favorite things in this world would have to be music. As a musician, I understand all the joy playing an instrument can give you and others. Music is such an amazing thing to me, and reading about Blind d ‘Arnault play made me remember how much music influenced people. Connections

Connections (continued)  “About us it was growing darker and darker, and I had to look hard to see her face, which I meant to always carry with me; the closest, realest face, under all the shadows of women’s faces, at the very bottom of my memory.” (193) In this particular scene, I can relate to Jim pretty well. I also know the feelings one gets to lose someone you hold dear to you. When somebody that important leaves, you want to commit their face and being into memory to carry forever in an attempt to keep them around even for just a bit longer.

Connections (continued)  “’Optima dies… prima fugit.’” (159) This Latin quote means “the best days are the first to flee.” I realized this quote was such an important part of this book. It says a lot about fleeting childhood days and adolescent romances. I liked this quote because many a time I have been told to ‘Have fun while you can because high school is the best years of your life.’ But to me, high school is only a gateway to the better times that lie ahead in wait.

Characterization  “Much as I liked Antonia, I hated a superior tone that she sometimes took with me. She was four years older than I, to be sure, and had seen more of the world; but I was a boy and she was a girl, and I resented her protecting manner.” (31) I can relate to Antonia here because, as we all know, I can tend to act very superior to others at times. I like to be in control of the things around me. It makes me very happy.

Characterization (continued)  ‘“She’ll be awkward and rough at first, like enough,” grandmother said anxiously, “but unless she’s been spoiled by the hard life she’s led, she has it in her to be a real helpful girl.”’ (94) I feel that I can be extremely helpful if I want to and set my mind to it. I know that I can do just about anything with a little practice just as Antonia would need to fit into town life in this novel.

Characterization (continued)  “’That’s Antoni’s failing, you know; if she once likes people, she won’t hear anything against them.’” (161) If I like someone, I will let you know. If I don’t, I will also let you know. I am a really sweet person when I’m in a good mood. I don’t like people talking about other people at all. It’s the worst thing you could do, in my opinion.

Theme  My Ántonia explores the lives of immigrants on the United States frontier in the second half of the nineteenth century. The novel creates a sympathetic portrait of the many hardships that immigrants faced, including intense homesickness, inability to speak English, and an array of cultural and religious differences that the novel's immigrants must overcome if they wish to fit in with the often judgmental American settlers.  This theme stood out to me in particular because it seems to me that people today don’t realized how important immigration was to this country and how hard their ancestors had it trying to get by in life.

Citation  Cather, Willa. My Antonia. New York: Barnes & Noble Books and Fine Creative Media, Inc My Duckies at Pellissippi State this summer!!! Woot.