Willa Cather's untraditional values and were portrayed in My Antonia in a rare perspective. By the looks of the novel, Cather had no problem being a bit of a rule breaker. One instance that caused quite the stir was referred to as "a curious social situation in Black Hawk (120)." It was well known in their town that country boys were meant to grow up, marry a high class girl, and live happily in a mansion with their large family. However, the country boys were beginning to fall for the beautiful, foreign girls, but they were too embarrassed to admit it. The 'hired girls' were in America to work and make money for their families, not have a relationship with the country boys. The public disapproved of the idea because "The country girls were considered a menace to the social order (Cather 122)." Willa Cather looked beyond the social classes, which wasn't commonly done at this time.
Another rule being broken was that of the roles in a family. On average, females clean and working in the kitchen while the men work outside. When Antonia's father died, another family member had to step up to work for pay, and she chose to do it. Jimmy's grandma had issues with this because it was crazy for a female to work in the fields. Cather was ahead of her time when it came to woman making money for the family.
Religion was mentioned many times in the novel, especially after Mr. Shimerda's death. The author told about Antonia communicating several times with her father in heaven. She would speak to him when she felt lonely, had problems, or if she just wanted to chat. By incorporating religion into the novel, Cather created a needed outlet for Antonia.
My Antonia's perspective was interesting and gave the novel a refreshing point of view. The introduction explained that the story was a buildup of Jimmy's memories of a lifelong friend named Antonia. Because it was Jimmy reminiscing on past events, the story was told in a joyful, content, and sometimes regretful tone.
[Bibliography]
Cather, Willa. My Antonia. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2004. Print.
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