1. My Antonia by Willa Cather

2. Willa Cather— Biographical Information
1873—1947; was one of seven children
Born in Virginia but moved to Nebraska in 1883
Father tried farming briefly but went into real estate and insurance in a town called Red Cloud

3. Willa Cather— Education
Had never attended school until the move to Red Cloud, Nebraska at age 9
Was very impressed and moved by the dramatic environment (weather, open plains, immigrants in the area)
Attended the University of Nebraska intending to be a doctor—her writing was published so she changed to an English major and later graduated

4. Willa Cather— Career Moved to New York and had many jobs
Magazine writer
Teacher
Magazine editor
Novelist
Won the Pulitzer Prize for One of Ours
Critical acclaim: “Plainspoken language about ordinary people”

5. My Antonia: background
Cather was witness to the drastic changes that happened on the U.S. Plains in 19th & 20th centuries
1st, 2nd and 3rd generations of immigrants populated the area
Saw the hardships that befell the brave people who lived in the Plains

6. The Great Plains

7. Cather’s style Thoroughly realistic
Pays special attention to the plight of rural and small-town women
Does not neglect the idea of youths who wanted to escape their backgrounds and leave for what they considered to be a better life

8. Cather’s style First immigrants discussed are “Bohemians”
This is an antiquated term for people who immigrated from what is now the former Czech Republic
Like most immigrants of that day, the main characters and their neighboring Bohemians arrived by railroad.

9. Cather’s style
The main characters are not necessarily applauded by Cather for triumphing over their very difficult environment but for preserving the memory and hope from where they grew up.

10. My Antonia: main characters
Jim Burden: The narrator and protagonist of the novel, Jim is a successful lawyer who grew up in Black Hawk, Nebraska
Jake Marpole: Farm hand from Virginia at the Burden place
Otto Fuchs: Farm hand from Austria at the Burden place

11. My Antonia: main characters
Ántonia "Tony" Shimerda: The bold and free-hearted young Bohemian girl who moves with her family to Black Hawk, Nebraska
Mr. and Mrs. Shimerda: Ántonia's immigrant parents from Bohemia
Ambrosch, Marek and Yulka: Ántonia's brothers and sister

12. Willa Cather’s childhood home in Red Cloud, Nebraska

13. The Great Plains