My Antonia Flashcards
How does the novel begin?
1880’s - Jim Burden leaves Virginia to live in rural Nebraska.
Who does Jim Burden meet on the train?
Thirteen year old Antonia Shimerda - an immigrant from Bohemia.
How do Jim and Antonia bond?
Over their love for the land and Antonia learns English from Jim.
How do Mr and Mrs Shimerda react to the move?
Mr Shimerda finds it difficult - finds solace in friendship with Peter and Pavel - Russian Farmers.
Pavel dies and Peter leaves for job in railway construction - leaves Mr Shimerda in a depression.
What do Jim’s grandparents discover?
That the Shimerdas do not have enough food to survive - they send them gifts until Christmas traps them in their homes.
What do the Shimerda’s want?
They miss their village in Bohemia and Mr. Shimerda commits suicide in the barn.
How does Jim and Antonia’s friendship fade?
Antonia demands to work on the farm with her brother Ambrosch and Jim has to go to school.
What jobs does Antonia get?
The neighbours - the Harling’s hire her as housekeeper but as she goes to dances and gains a reputation with the boys she is fired.
Then works for moneylender - Wick Cutter.
Why does Antonia reject Jim’s romantic gestures?
She sees him as nothing but a younger brother.
What does Wick Cutter attempt to do?
Attempts to rape Antonia and she leaves the job.
What does the plough symbolise?
On his last trip to the prairie they reminisce and recognise the plough magnified by the sun as the end of their time together.
Where does Jim move to?
Moves to Lincoln to attend college and dates Lena Lingard who takes job as dress maker in Lincoln - Jim cannot stop loving Antonia.
He transfers to Harvard..
What does Jim do before he joins law school?
Visits Antonia - learns she has a child but is not married and admits his love for her but Antonia disregards this confession and returns to Boston.
How long does Jim not see Antonia for?
Twenty years - he marries and becomes a successful lawyer in New York.
What does Jim find when he visits Antonia again?
She is working on the farm with her husband - Anton Cuzak. They have eleven children.
Jim leaves Nebraska satisfied that he and Antonia will always be bound together by the past.
