My Antonia Relationship Essay

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Mr. Shimerda begs Jim to “Te-e-ach, te-e-ach my Antonia” in Book I, Section III. Through their relationship, Jim learns more as he is the narrator and we can understand his position. Unfortunately, even in the end, Jim realizes that he didn’t learn the lessons soon enough.
Jim is a young boy in a time when women had certain standards. For example, when Antonia was working in the fields after her father died, Jim didn’t want her to get calloused and hardened like a man, so he helped her to get a more ‘appropriate’ job at Ms. Harding’s as a hired woman.
Jim is also upset that Antonia has a child by Larry Donovan, and judges her but eventually does see her and realizes that she is very important to him. But he still marries a woman with both money and title - Lena. Jim is concerned with what people in town say and how they …show more content…
She is strong willed and capable, living in harsh elements of a cave. Cather directly states “As he says with uneasiness, Antonia is "too proud of her own strength". When Antonia’s father commits suicide, she is crushed, but immediately goes to work in the fields. Antonia claims, "I can work like mans now...I can work as much as Ambrosch. School is all right for little boys. I can help make this land one good farm". She became aged and rugged when she was working in the fields and Jim noticed. When Antonia goes into labor with Larry Donovan's child, she shuts herself in her bedroom and remains alone. She gives birth without calling for any help and without any screams. This is another example of her strength.
As an immigrant, Antonia comes to America with minimal English skills. Jim becomes her teacher. After her father dies, she learns how to work in the fields like men. Then when she goes into town to work for Ms. Harding, she learns a new job there as well until she gets in trouble. She is capable of learning and adapting to her environment so that she can
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