Willa Cather Research Paper

In Elena’s own introduction to the novel, she recalls an empty, inhabited American West and questions why the forefathers of South Texas have been forgotten:

      Willa Cather's novel My Ántonia dramatizes the effect the frontier has on both native-born people and immigrants that come to the West in search of new beginnings. The story centers around two families living in a remote area of Nebraska from completely diverse backgrounds. This tale suggests that regardless of where a person comes from, the trials and tribulations of living under such tough conditions will ultimately impact his/her future existence. Cather's characters, no matter the age or heritage, are continuously re-defined, as if reborn, into a new life by surviving the harsh realities of the frontier. Much of the creation of these characters takes place in the very

The setting of the story has tremendous impact on the characters and themes in the novel "My Antonia" by Willa Cather. Cather's delicately crafted naturalistic style is evident not only in her colorfully detailed depictions of the Nebraska frontier, but also in her characters’ relationship with the land on which they live. The common naturalist theme of man being controlled by nature appears many times throughout the novel, particularly in the chapters containing the first winter.

My Antonia, by Willa Cather, is a novel about Jim Burden and his relationship and experiences growing up with Antonia Shimerda in Nebraska. Throughout the book Jim reflects on his memories of Nebraska and the Shimerda family, often times in a sad and depressing tone. One of the main ways Cather is able to provoke these sad emotions within the reader is through the suicide of Antonia’s father, Mr. Shimerda. His death was unexpected by everyone and it is thought that homesickness is what drove him to take his own life. Homesickness was surely felt by Mr. Shimerda, as it was by many, but it was the failure to adequately find a way to provide for his family that sent Mr. Shimerda into a

In this passage, Jim talks about his reaction to Mr. Shimerda's death. He said he knew Mr. Shimerda killed himself because he missed his old country and his old life. He also thought that Mr. Shimerda's spirit was in his house and that his spirit would later travel back to the country that he loved so much.

The 1920s were a time of social injustices, primarily revolving around racial discrimination. With the revival of the Ku Klux Klan only a few short years before, African Americans lived in fear of lynching and other forms of racism during this period. This form of social injustice was widespread and known by all in the United States, but there was another issue during this time that was not as well known. The West Virginia mine wars had begun in 1920 due to the injustices that the miners had faced for decades. Miniscule wages and dangerous work conditions were only a few of the hardships that the miners had to face. The author of the book Kettle Bottom, Diane Gilliam Fisher, was able to capture these hardships perfectly in her poetry to help shine light on the terrible treatment and the resulting consequences that the miners and their families received during this time. Many of her poems, such as, “Dear Diary,” “Pearlie Tells What Happened at School,” and “Walter and His Mama Talk about Angels,” show the negative impact that growing up during this period of violence and injustice had had on the miners’ children.

The Roaring Twenties and the Jazz Age describe an era of prosperity and entertainment. With fancy parties, cars, houses, and a multitude of wealth, people go about their day with frivolity. However, not all were willing to accept the social changes that goes with the 1920s. One such novel that addresses the liberal era and some reluctance is Eudora Welty’s novel Delta Wedding. Beginning with Laura McRaven travelling to visit her extended family, the Fairchilds, at their plantation in the Mississippi Delta, she experiences the turmoil surrounding her departed mother’s family: the uproar of the oncoming wedding, the tension between her aunts, and the difficulties one must face in becoming a Fairchild. Despite Laura playing the main role of the novel, Welty uses her minor character Robbie Reid to explore the compact Southern family and the polarity between precedent archetypes and the liberal woman of the 1920s.

Many things influence a person’s overall perception and opinions about the world around them, such as their education, geographic location of upbringing, or religious views. All of these factors, combined with countless others, shape each person into who they are and how they interact with society. The time period a person lives through is another exceptionally important contribution, as it is creates the entire backdrop of their experiences -- socially, economically, and politically. A psychoanalytical look at O Pioneers! by Willa Cather, explains how the social and cultural implications of Willa’s life are transferred to this piece of literature. I believe that Willa Cather created the primary, male characters in O Pioneers! based on the unfortunate experiences she had with men in her early adulthood, which caused these strongly biased characters, while the female characters are given exaggerated positive personality traits.

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

At the beggining of the book Jim lost his parents and was sent to live in Nebraska with his grandparents. The day that Jim met the Shimerdas, the girl who they called Antonia caught his eye and he thought that she was pretty. Soon after Mr.Shimerda begged Jim to teach his daughter Antonia, she started speaking english a lot better. Jim and Antonia became best friends, they would see each other as much as possible. Although Jim and Antonia were best friends they had different ideas on life. The Shimerdas lived a very different life than Jims family, the Shimerdas had to live off of the very little they had. During winter the Shimerdas have to go with very little food and shelter from the harsh weather while Jims family didnt't have to worry

Cathay Williams, born into slavery in Independence, Missouri in September of 1844, was determined to become more than a house slave. In 1861, the Union Forces captured slaves as “contraband” and forced them to serve the military in roles such as cooks, laundresses, or nurses (“Cathay Williams”, n.d.). At the age of 17, Cathay was forced to serve the 8th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment where she travelled alongside the Soldiers to Arkansas, Louisiana, and Georgia. It is believed when Cathay was in Little Rock, Arkansas; she came across African-American Soldiers that influenced her decision to become a Soldier. On 15 November 1866 (at the age of 22), Cathay Williams commenced her ruse of enlisting into the Regular Army as William Cathay for three

In just two games, it has been easy for West Virginia football fans to fall in love with Will Grier and it’s all because he is so much more than a quarterback.

I feel that we should communicate in person. You can get more detail in person or notice how that person is feeling which you don’t get so much detail over the phone. Plus the internet has had a lot of bad things happen on it over the past few years on email or just social media. Then there is also lots of arguments that start over the internet.

     One manner in which this unusual place can be seen is in the women's privileged relationship to the land in the text. While Jim Burden attends school, it is Antonia who shapes and works the new land that the pioneers inhabit, going "from farm to farm" to

In the late 1800’s thousands of immigrants fled to Ellis Island in hopes of a new life in the United States. Among these immigrants included many irish individuals similar to that of the Johnston family, the family that the story, “Maggie, A Girl of the Streets” revolves around. This story is a short novella written by Stephen Crane and provides a glimpse into the life of immigrants and first generation Americans, living in poverty in New York City during the Gilded Age. The author often evades confronting the reader with the details of the plot and instead alludes to certain actions in the story. He often allows the reader to develop their own sense of what is happening in the span of the novel’s timeline. Crane uses subtext to draw the emphasis away from Maggie and towards what a life of poverty and isolation in the Bowery of New York can cause a person to succumb to.