His forceful killing of the snake demonstrates a dislike of the phallic." Cather's clever insertion of her initial as the snake "was lying in long loose waves, like a letter 'W'" forms a literary technique she perhaps used to inform her readers on her lesbian position. .
The snake is further sexualised by the way "he would spring, spring his length," mirroring an erect penis. Cather's treatment of the snake as a phallic symbol confuses the boundaries between the snake as merely an object as it can perhaps be seen as an undesirable subject because of her sexual position. Jim is after perceived as a local hero and describes how "The great land had never looked to me so big and free. If the red grass were full of rattlers, I was equal to them all." Jim's feeling towards the landscape at this point reflect an essence of freedom which can be interpreted as Cather's sexual freedom and choice to be a lesbian. Cather also perhaps expresses how her sexuality does not make her unequal to men or heterosexual relationships in this particular line in the novel. Farwell notes how "Feminist literary theory has been eager to recognize the possibility of disruptive plots and spaces that position women as subjects of their own stories." Perhaps this event can be taken as Cather's way of positioning herself within the novel as a lesbian writer in the twentieth century and how she attempts to create a lesbian narrative space in the early stages of the novel by symbolising the snake. Cather's choice to use a male voice in narrating her story was perhaps because she was essentially writing about male orientated feelings and events. Cather however, can be actively seen to criticise the gender norms of society in doing so, as we furtively analyse the characters of Jim and Antonia and the way in which Cather presents them to the reader. Judith Fetterley recognizes how: Jim behaves in ways that mark him as female.
Willa Cather doesn't portray the ideals of helpless, dependent women whose only purposes were to produce children. Willa Cather gave the women of My Antonia untraditional roles. ... Throughout My Antonia, much of what we find out about the grandmother is evident in her kitchen. ... Although the women of My Antonia did follow the typical role...
My Antonia, a novel written by Willa Cather, is about the historical period during which the American Frontier closed. ... By examining the novel My Antonia, by Willa Cather, one can see that the novel feeds off of immigration and would not be the same if the protagonist, Antonia Shimerda, were not an immigrant. ... Willa Cather does a good job getting the point across that there is nothing Jim can do to change what is going to happen to him or to anyone. ... His last words were, "Te-e-ach, te-e-ach my Antonia"(Cather). ... In the beginning of the novel, they decide to name it My Antonia...
Willa Cather I.) ... Characteristics such as that are what my author Willa Cather focused on when describing the prairie in her books. ... The purpose of my presentation is to inform you about the life, literary achievements, and importance of Willa Cather. ... Willa Cather Paper A.) ... Willa Cather died April 24, 1947. ...
Traits of feminist masculinity have never been so exemplified in women as they are in Willa Cather's masterpiece, "My Antonia". ... In her portrayal of a pioneer woman, Cather blurs the gender lines and thus promotes a sense of equality between men and women. ... Cathers weaves her crafty persuasion for the cause of female equality throughout her book. ... A method Cather uses to elevate Antonia is to tell her story through the eyes of Jim Burden, a man deeply in love with her, but as a strange twist, is seen as a younger and more inferior tag along. ... The book, "My Antonia" is ...
In the novel My Antonia by Willa Cather, the symbolism illustrates strength of spirit. ... Another example can be found within the character of Antonia Shimmerda. ... To illustrate, Jim Burden finds strength within Antonia's eyes. ... Another example is found through the character of Antonia. ... The symbolism in the novel My Antonia illustrates strength of spirit that one is able to find from within oneself, through others, and through one's connection with the land. ...
Independent Women My Antonia is about how a very independent woman of the 1900s influenced the life of Jim Burden. In this book, by Willa Cather, there are several self-sufficient women in the story line. ... Antonia Shimerda became independent at an early age due to her father committing suicide. ... (Cather 204). ... (Cather 186). ...
In Willa Cather's novel, My Antonia, Cather creates several groups with distinct characteristics and values in Black Hawk, Nebraska- the town in which most of the story takes place. ... The primary form of intolerance depicted throughout My Antonia can be best described as classism or elitism- discrimination based on a person's position on the social ladder. ... Earlier in the story, Antonia's father, Mr. ... Jim Burden, Antonia's neighbor and narrator of the story, is at odds with her brother, Ambrosch's, decision to allow Antonia to work in the field. ... However, An...
The Novel My Antonia, is a story of a young Bohemain immigrant girl, Antonia Shimerda, on the central plains in Black Hawk, Nebraska. ... This is where he meets Antonia. This novel, written by Willa Cather, is a story of Jim's experiences and memories relating to Antonia. Through Antonia Shimerda, and other characters throughout the novel, My Antonia, including Lea Lingard, Jim's Grandparents and Mrs. ... Josiah and Emmaline Burden, Jim's grandparents are key characters in the novel, My Antonia. ...
In Willa Cather's My Antonia, Tiny Soderball showed the most in any of the other characters as being a very ambitious person. ... In Willa Cather's My Antonia, Tiny Soderball a Swedish immigrant who was once a "Hired Girl" gained success through ambition, determination and persistence. ...
