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A Portrayal of Women


            
             The typical roles of women have always been that of the nurturing mother, the obedient wife, the hostess for male society, and among many other things. All women didn't accept that their only destiny was to be the part of American culture that is seen and not heard. Women began to reevaluate their attractive status in society. 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. In some respects, the female characters do assume the stereotypical qualities recognized by them. We are introduced to Jim Burden's grandmother while she is being sentimental over Jim's deceased father. She is openly emotional and after she is able to calm down, she immediately heads to the kitchen. She has directed Jim to the kitchen to take a bath, but none the less, she is baking cakes as well. Throughout My Antonia, much of what we find out about the grandmother is evident in her kitchen. For example, we learn about Mrs. Burden's fear of things that are foreign when she throws away the mushrooms that Mrs. Shimerda had given her as a gift. This is the area with which she seems to be most at ease. She is not afraid to say what she has on her mind. Mrs. Shimerda is a housewife, much the same way Mrs. Burden is. She cooks for her family and tends to her children. Until after her husband's death, she rarely worked outdoors. Mrs. Shimerda appears to be stuck up and prissy like a cat in her mannerisms towards others.


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