Judging by all the conflicts and major drama points of this novel, the time period was reflected pretty well. All of the issues that are discussed held true to the time. My Antonia focused a lot on the discrimination towards immigrants. Locals looked at them as being low class and worthless. In many cases, immigrants were hired help for the high class families that could afford it. Antonia got a job working in the kitchen for a nice Norwegian woman. She admitted to Jimmy that a tough outer shell was necessary to be a foreign in a country because people looked at and treated you differently. The novel also hit the subject of an African American pianist. "He was a Negro prodigy who played barbarously and wonderfully. To hear him, to watch him, was to see a Negro enjoying himself as only a Negro can (Cather 115)." As sad as it is, this problem is still lingering in today's society, especially since the events of September 11 occurred. If a Muslim is seen in public wearing a turban, some Americans feel uncomfortable just being near them. Another example is the fear that some folks feel when they walk on the sidewalk with an African American man. All these forms of discrimination are ridiculous because of the one idea or story in one's head that tells them something isn't right. Judging a person before getting to know them is wrong, no matter their origin, skin tone, or religion.
Social classes were another issue that was popular at this time. In the novel, it was known that the country boys were never to like the 'hired girls', or foreigners. The scenario reminded me a little of the relationship in the movie, The Notebook. Another example was when Mrs. Shimerda went into the Burden's home and realized who many utensils and belongings she was lacking. Claiming that she could raise her family much nicer with items like that. This problem is a two way street because as wrong as it is for class levels to judge each other, it was rude of Mrs. Shimerda to walk into her house and make hurtful comments.
[Bibliography]
Cather, Willa. My Antonia. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2004. Print.
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