In book one section three, Mr. Shimerda pleads Jim and Mrs. Burden to teach Antonia English. Being a mostly non-English speaking family, I am sure is very intimidating, especially since they have relocated to a mostly English speaking country. I believe Mr. Shimerda wants Jim and Mrs. Burden to teach Antonia English because he does not want Antonia to struggle in life if she gets a job or wants a strong education. “Before I got into the wagon, he took a book out of his pocket, opened it, and showed me a page with two alphabets, one English and the other Bohemian.” Though Mr. Shimerda intrusts Jim and his grandmother to teach lessons to Antonia, I believe Jim ends up learning more through his friendship with Antonia. I feel that Jim is fascinated and also intrigued with everything Antonia is and is not.…show more content… It is not that he pitties Antonia’s hardships, but he becomes inspired by them to become an educated man that can be there for Antonia when in need. She was a reminder of Jim’s childhood that he refused to permanently leave behind. You can see those thoughts in the quote “More than any other person we remembered, this girl seemed to mean to us the country, the conditions, the whole adventure of our childhood.” This helps me realize that not only is she a character but she’s also a symbol. She taught him to never forget the Nebraskan prarie and the hardships that both the Shimerdas and the Burdens went through as well. These memories can get lost in the new city life as a successful lawyer. “For the first time it occured to me that I should be homesick for that river after I left it.” Jim could very easily move on with his life after getting an education and becoming a
