MY ANTONIA: Discussion Study Guide
INTRODUCTION:
1. What do we find out about Jim Burden in this brief section?
BOOK ONE:
2. Differentiate Nebraska and Jim’s native Virginia from Jim’s viewpoint.
3. Characterize Grandfather Burden, Grandmother Burden, Jake Marpole, Otto Fuchs,
and the Shimerdas as Jim first sees them.
4. Begin a listing of words that reflect this to be a PIONEER WESTERN STORY,
THAT REFLECT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NATURAL SETTING.
5. What values about the Burden’s impress Jim initially?
happiness?
What does Jim mean by
6. Compare the Burden’s living conditions with that of their neighbors, the Shimerdas.
7. Compare Mrs. Shimerda and her husband. Describe the children. What appear to be
the strengths and weaknesses of the family?
8. What is the sunflower legend? Explain its significance for pioneers.
9. Who is Krajiek? Why do the Shimerdas stay with him, or have him remain?
10. What does Jim learn from the Russians? What does he teach Antonia? What does
he learn about badgers?
11. Why does Antonia act with a “superior tone” with Jim? How does he react to this?
How does the incident with the rattler change things?
12. How did Pavel and Peter become alienated from their fellow Russians?
13. What might be the significance of these three incidents---dying insect, rattler,
Russian men’s story about wolves at the wedding?
14. Describe the home life of the Burden’s in chapter 9.
15. In chapter 10, explain the contrast of the Shimerdas and the Burden’s living
situations. Contrast Mr. and Mrs. Shimerda.
16. Contrast Mr. and Mrs. Shimerda’s reaction to the Burden’s visit.
17. Mr. Shimerda dies. Explain the varying opinions.
18. Explain the incidents of prejudice surrounding the burial of Mr. Shimerda. Note
contrasting incidents of hope and support.
19. Chapters 17-19 reflect changes in Antonia. Describe them and how her mother feels,
how her father would feel about the changes.
20. Explain the fight between Ambrosch and Jake and how Grandfather Burden
intervenes to reconcile. How does he intend to get Antonia away from the clutches of
her brother Ambrosch?
21. What are some things Jim learns during his first year in Nebraska?
BOOK TWO:
22. Jim has to leave the farm and move to Squaw Creek at age 13. What does he lose?
What does he gain? How is winter different here?
23. Explain the changes the Burden’s encounter in their move to Squaw Creek and the
significance of the changes
24. Characterize the Harling family:
25. What are the stories about the following? Why are they all important to Willa
Cather?
A) Crazy Mary:
B) the tramp Iverson:
C) Blind d’Arnault (Samson):
D) the three Marys:
26. Explain the unusual “social situation in Black Hawk” (chapter 9).
27. How does Antonia change as a result of meeting the Vanni’s?
28. Characterize the Cutters.
29. Why does Jim dislike the Black Hawk townspeople?
is he different?
Who is Mr. Jensen, and how
30. What revelation does Jim make to Antonia at graduation? What does Antonia reveal
to Jim about her parents?
31. Describe the sunset scene in chapter 14 and its probable significance for Willa
Cather.
32. Detail the horrible incident Jim endures to spare Antonia. What does it reveal about
Wick Cutter?
BOOK THREE
33. In this section, the reader sees several characters change--namely, Antonia, Jim, and
Lena. Clarify how.
34. Who is Ordinsky and what is his importance?
35. Why does Jim plan to go to Harvard?
BOOK FOUR
36. How old is Jim? Why does Mrs. Harling refer to Antonia as “Poor Antonia?” How
does Jim respond to the news?
37. What does Mrs. Steavens add to Antonia’s story? Why wouldn’t she call Antonia
“Poor Antonia?”
38. Why does Willa Cather include the story of the Gold Rush in this Book?
39. Toward the end of Book Four, Jim and Antonia share an emotional moment.
Explain
40. Book Four is the story of the “pioneer women.” What portrait do we gain of the
pioneer woman?
41. Why does Book IV focus on Tiny and Lena?
42. Larry Donovan is a minor character as depicted by Cather; however, he is important
for Antonia’s development as a character. Explain (196)
BOOK FIVE
43. The setting for Book V is twenty years later. What report does Jim receive about
Antonia from Tiny and Lena? How is Antonia still the girl of Jim’s memories? How is
she more mature?
44. What do we learn about these characters?:
A) Ambrosch:
B) the 3 Bohemian Marys:
C) Lena:
D) Antonia’s illegitimate daughter Martha:
E) The Cutters:
45. Why is Anton Cusack a good match for Antonia?
46. Explain the significance of the novel’s closing words: “...we possessed the precious,
the incommunicable past.”
THE NOVEL AS A WHOLE
47. What are some hardships and difficulties the early immigrants encounter
48. Heroism in literature often entails heroic deeds or exceptional people. In this novel,
the superlative is downplayed, yet the heroic still shines. In what ways is Jim Burden
the novel’s hero? In what ways is Antonia?
49. What are the significant contributions Lena Lingard makes to the novel?
50. There are innumerable scenes of contrasting imagery and moods. Cite and describe.
[When Antonia revives the dying insect----The first Christmas celebration----The snake episode----Commencement Day----The Hired Girls----Jim Burden----51. Explain this quote by Willa Cather that addresses why she does not use a
conventional plot in her story:
“When an adventurer carries his gods with him into a remote and savage country, the colony
he founds will, from the beginning, have graces, traditions, riches of the mind and spirit. Its history
will shine with bright incidents, slight, perhaps, but precious as life itself, where the great matters are
often worthless as astronomical distances, and the trifles dear as the heart’s blood.”