Who Is The Hero In Willa Cather's My Mortal Enemy

Nellie Bly uses humor to convey her attitudes about people living in poverty and the attitudes of the officials who care for them. One instance of this is found in paragraphs 35-40, when Nellie describes the food Mrs. Standard served and when Judge Duffy mistakenly calls her “somebody’s darling”. She comments about the food distributed at Mrs. Standard’s home, making a few laugh and others to agree with her that she “wasn’t crazy on the food part”. This shows that although the officials may think she is insane, they respect her more than the pauperized in the courtroom because she is well dressed and speaks perfect English. Another

Markus Zusak’s intricate novel, The Messenger tells a story of a teenager living in a low socio-economic area of Sydney. Throughout the text Zusak employs a variety of literary devices to assist in the readers connection with Ed’s journey of self-discovery as well as questioning their own. Ed Kennedy narrates the book as the protagonist, following his ‘epitome of ordinariness’ life. Ed is faced with a number of challenges, which contributes, in his journey of self-discovery. Each literary device used in the book compliments the challenge during the text.

Because the text is the first person you almost think that the main character is actually Alice herself! Now a great moment of this sweet story is when the main character is walking down the road and sees Myra and her little brother Jimmy walking ahead of her. Myra at the time didn’t like to talk to anybody and tried to walk faster. As they were walking the main character that we will call Alice was contemplating whether to walk with Myra or not. Stated on page 37 of “Day of the Butterfly” “I did not even want to but, on the other hand, the flattery of those humble, hopeful turning was not lost on me. A role was shaping for me that I could not resist playing. I felt a great pleasurable rush of self-conscious benevolence.” In this text, it shows the Alice did and didn’t want to talk to Myra. This is a common feeling when you confront a person you really don’t know much

The visual and tactile imagery in Cather’s My Antonia highlight the novel’s theme of nostalgia. In the first paragraph of the passage, Jim writes about an afternoon out with Antonia. He describes the plains of Nebraska, his surroundings, using words of warmth and peace. Jim talks about the “warm, grassy bank,” the “amber sunlight,” and the “tall asparagus…lying on the ground.” The visual imagery, displayed in these descriptions, contributes to the theme of nostalgia as Jim reminisces about a more peaceful and loving part of his adolescence. Through this visual imagery, Jim’s descriptions of his surroundings immerse themselves into the novel and become a character of their own. The sun, the sky, the animals- Jim’s surroundings- aid in Jim’s

Cather’s work, My Antonia, is a memoir told from Jim Burden’s perspective, as he recollects his youth moving from Virginia to life on the plains of Black Hawk, Nebraska. Upon moving in with his grandparents, Jim begins to admire Antonia Shimerda, a Bohemian immigrant who moved to Black Hawk alongside the rest of her family, the Shimerdas. As Jim spends more time in Black Hawk, he bears witness to the many hardships which the Shimerdas faced, such as their limited proficiency with English, their horrible financial situation, and the death of the father, Mr. Shimerda. Later in the novel, Jim moves into town to further his education, while Antonia moves into town to find work. In town, Jim finds more hard-working immigrants, known as the “Hired

While creating the character, Antonia, Cather objects to many long-established gender cliché. If Antonia exceeds the social gender roles, it is the Burden family who holds the roles at a very high expectation.

This quote explains Nellie’s contentment to raise Catherine Linton at the Grange after she had been at Wuthering Heights, which is involved in a lot of painful events and bad experiences for characters such as Cathy’s bondage and the abuse of Heathcliff by his brother Hindley. The Grange on the other hand is involved in some of the best times for characters such as Nelly’s raising of Cathy and Catherine’s falling in love with

When Jim Burden initially reaches Nebraska, his descriptions of nature help the reader understand not only his personal experiences, but also the Romanticism prevalent in the book, My Antonia. This sets the reader up for the struggle and conflict between Modernism and Romanticism in the book, which is a major theme that Willa Cather utilizes in her novel. However, there is more to this Romantic description that meets the eye. On pages 12 and 13, Jim describes looking at the land while he travels to his grandparents, a passage which evokes beauty and hints towards philosophical meaning. Through this passage in the first chapter, it becomes clear that Jim’s narration of the nature around him works to highlight the idea that the land is a heaven that is untouched. Like young Jim, the land is in a “blank slate,” which intertwines the land and Jim together. This is furthered through the progression of the land and Jim, as they progress into godlike beings. Through this progression and balance, the balance between Modernism and Romanticism is achieved, and the reader better understands the intentions of Cather, thus leading to a better understanding of the text as a whole.

The central narrative of My Ántonia by Willa Cather uses tone and narrative to convey the book’s message. The text is a look into the past, even through in his narration

Edna Pontellier is a twenty-eight-year-old housewife married to a successful businessman, yet after spending time with a devoted gentleman and close friends, Edna the protagonist finds herself dissatisfied with her marriage with Léonce and her limit to do things in her lifestyle. Edna is described as having “quick and bright” eyes, “yellowish brown, about the color of her hair” (Chopin 4). Edna’s eyebrows have a darker shade than her hair, they were “thick and almost horizontal” (Chopin 4.) Her eyebrows emphasize the depth of her eyes, she was rather handsome than beautiful. Edna’s internal conflict is being that she doesn’t love her husband, Léonce, she is encourage by Robert Leburn and her personal feelings of being in a both emotionally

When looking back on the first semester of American Literature and Culture after 1914, many illustrious authors proceed into the forefront of my thought. Authors that convey the very essences of love, loss, and the human condition. One of the authors that inevitably comes to mind when thinking of this broad subject has to be Willa Cather and her definitive work, My Antonia. When thinking of this influential work, one cannot help but see the influence that had rubbed off on her from other authors such as Sarah Orne Jewett. She above all, I think, even without knowing it, helped Cather to write from a more male-situated standpoint as was evident in the fictional persona of Jim Burden in My Antonia. Another author that begs discussion, in my

In her stories Lost Lady and My Antonia, Willa Cather explores the ‘woman problem’. She does this by exploring the lives of women through the lens of men who grew up around them. Doing this allows her to highlight how society treats women and men differently, and subtly show this distinction to readers in order to call out the patriarchal double standard that existed in her time, and continues to exist today. In the stories of Marian Forrester and Antonia Shimerida, Willa Cather highlights struggles women face when they deal with both financial and sexual ruin. Marian Forrester faces financial ruin when she and her husband find themselves deep in debt. Niel watches – and judges her – as she tries to keep herself afloat. Antonia deals with

Much to Catherine’s pleasure, she has a walk scheduled with her sweetheart, Henry Tilney, and her dearest friend, Eleanor Tilney. However, on the morning of the walk, it rains. Austen uses the rain to foreshadow the upcoming unpleasant events. In the afternoon, the rain subsides leaving a muddy mess. Unexpectedly, Isabella Thorpe, John Thorpe, and James Morland arrive at her house. They request that Catherine go along on their trip to neighboring cites. However, Catherine feels obligated to stay in the house and await Henry Tilney and Eleanor Tilney. In his typical self-centered manner, John Thorpe declares that he saw Tilney engaging in other activities, “I saw him at that moment turn up the Lansdown Road, - driving a smart-looking girl” (Austen 53). Although perplexed as to why the Tilneys did not send word that their engagement should be broken, she consents to the proposed carriage ride. While riding out of her neighborhood, Catherine spots Eleanor and Henry Tilney walking towards her house. Catherine, exclaims, “Pray, pray stop, Mr. Thorpe. - I cannot go on. - I will not go on. - I must go back to Miss Tilney.” (Austen 54). John Thorpe disregarding Catherine’s plea, “laughed, smacked his whip, encouraged his horse, made odd noises, and drove on” (Austen 54). During this scene, Austen magnifies the villainy of John Thorpe by whisking away with innocent Catherine.

Mrs. Rowland, the protagonist, is portrayed as the stereotypical nagging wife. While a flat character, she is very realistic. Her level of diction implies her lack of education, she is also bitter towards her husband. Her bitterness is not unfounded. Alfred is of no help, "Heaven knows I do my part-and more-going out sewing every day while you play the gentleman and loaf around bar rooms with that good-for-nothing lot of artists from the Square" (Jacobs 1211). Mrs. Rowland's husband is adulterous and can not hold down a job. Mrs. Rowland loves her husband, although she does not like the way he treats her. She exhibited love by continually enabling him, paying the rent, providing food, and cleaning up after him. She regards Alfred's depression as laziness. "Not that I've got any doubts about your being lazy enough to stay in bed forever" (Jacobs 1211). After learning Alfred's lover Helen, is pregnant, her frustration and disappointments only intensify.

   This cynical look at a less than ideal marriage keeps the reader at a distance. The opening sentence startles in its baldness "Mr. and Mrs. Elliot tried very hard to have a baby" and the second sentence destroys any illusions that the Elliots are enjoying this by stating that "They tried as often as Mrs. Elliot could stand it"(Hemingway 85).