Imagine taking a train trip across the country all by yourself but you keep catching yourself admiring this one certain person In My Antonia, a novel taking place in the late 1800s, by Willa Cather, Jim Burden, the narrator of the novel, takes a journey across the great midland plains of North America. He is sent by train to his grandparents in Nebraska by his Virginia relatives. On this train is when Jim first hears of Antonia Shimerda, a Bohemian girl who he gains more and more interest for. The admiration that Jim develops for her is caused by a number of reasons. Antonias beauty, strong opinion towards what she believes in, and her willingness to learn are three qualities that Jim is attracted to.
Jim admires Antonias beauty through out the book. We high school boys used to linger on the playground at the afternoon recess to watch them as they came tripping down the hill They were growing prettier every day, but as they passed us, I used to think with pride that Antonia, like Snow-White in the fairy tale, was still fairest of them all (137). During recess, the boys used to sit together and watch the girls as they came running down the hill. Out of all of these girls, Antonia sticks out the most to Jim. This quote said by Jim shows how much he feels about Antonias beauty. He feels as if her beauty surpasses all other standards of attractiveness and compares her to Snow-White. Jim notices the most minor details about Antonias appearance that no one else sees. Whenever he describes Antonia he is very descriptive, which shows how attentive he is of her beauty. Throughout the novel, Jim says things about Antonia and her appearance that most of the others dont even bother noticing. Antonia has many great qualities within her, but her beauty really stands out and attracts Jim.
Although Antonias beauty is admired constantly by Jim, he also is in awe of Antonias assertiveness. She is not a passive or influenced girl and never backs down. She holds her own opinions towards everything and is neither shy nor passive. There are many situations in the book in which Antonia gives her own opinions and ideas. Jim really likes and respects this about her because it shows that she is a confident girl. As much as Jim admires Antonia, there are many scenarios in which Antonia defers his opinion. I liked Antonia, I hated a superior tone that she sometimes took with me (24). Antonia is a nice girl, but likes to argue her own opinion even towards Jim. As the book continues, he learns to respect Antonia more for whom she is and admires her boldness. He loves and accepts the fact that she indeed has seen more of the world than him and he acknowledges her opinion in a positive way through out the remainder of the story.
The final quality that Jim is attracted to is Antonias drive and eagerness to learn new things; Jim loves this characteristic that Antonia has and enjoys teaching her more about the English language. While we snuggled down there out in the wind, she learned a score of new words. She was quick and very eager (19). The relationship between Jim and Antonia grows stronger as they start to learn from each other. Antonia really wants to learn more about America and its language and Jim takes on the role of teaching her the difficult task. Although Jim is the one teaching her, Antonia also teaches him a lot of aspects he hasnt yet experienced in life. Each characters devotion to learn sets the scene for their relationship to come.
As told throughout the journey of My Antonia, the budding relationship between Jim and Antonia evolves into something special. Jim could see right through Antonia and adores her beauty, willingness to learn, and her opinionated mind. During the course of their relationship they have many adversities, but in the end they knew that a friendship like theirs is destined to last forever.
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