Reader discussion: My Ántonia

Public reader discussion about My Ántonia in the WeRead Catalog by Willa Cather.

Plants in Modern Literature

By MuddyCarrot

Hi everyone — Happy New Year! I’m a botanist / plant physiologist and I teach a class that mixes plants with human culture. I know a lot about plants themselves, but I’m kind of behind on how plant symbolism shows up in more modern books, so I wanted to ask for some suggestions. I’m super familiar with Tolkien and how he uses botanical stuff, and I also know about the “bitter” grape symbolism from *The Grapes of Wrath*, but beyond that I don’t really have a good list of other examples. So I guess my questions are: - What are some plant or botanical symbols you’ve noticed in more recent literature (1880 onward)? - And are there any good examples from American literature specifically that are worth bringing up? Thanks!

American Icons: "Willa Cather is a badass and 'My Ántonia' is amazing"

By HuskingPine

I haven’t gotten around to reading *My Antonia* yet, but I’ve read a bunch of her other stuff and I can honestly say she’s really great.

My Antonia by Willa Cather [Historical Fiction](1918)

By Ink_Orchid

I picked up this unabridged edition of *My Ántonia* and it feels like one of those “this has to be important” books. It came out in 1918, and I keep seeing it called one of Willa Cather’s best, like even her first real masterpiece. It’s also the last one in her prairie trilogy, after *O Pioneers!* and *The Song of the Lark*. The story follows Jim Burden, an orphaned boy from Virginia, and Ántonia Shimerda, the older daughter in a family of Bohemian immigrants—they both end up in Nebraska as kids when everyone’s heading out to start settling the prairie. What stood out to me is how much the book pays attention to the people breaking the prairie ground and also to how harsh but fertile the land is. The first year there seems to really stick with them, too, and it kind of lasts for life. This edition says it includes the full original text, plus an intro with commentary, biography, bibliography, notes, references—so there’s a lot packed in. It’s all listed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike.

My Antonia: Book 1 Chapter 17 Discussion-

By Superuser

I’m kind of interested in how Jim’s changing in this part—does he just still feel torn up about his friend and can’t help projecting it onto the Shimerda’s, or is he actually judging them? Also, the Shimerda’s seem like they’re finally getting used to prairie life, but I’m not sure if it’s really a turning point or just settling in. Antonia helping out more with the farm work is a big deal too—what do you all think of that? And then the whole school offer thing… I can’t tell if turning it down is the most understandable choice or if I’m missing something.

My Antonia: Book 3 Chapter 4 Discussion -

By Superuser

We’re starting East of Eden in like two weeks—how is that already here?? Have you grabbed your copy yet? I don’t have one yet, so I should probably fix that. Also, I’ve been thinking about Lena’s whole business situation—do you think Jim’s reading of her motivations is actually right, or is he kind of guessing? And what do you think about how she’s coming off here? She seems extra nice, but I can’t tell if it’s genuine or if there’s more going on. The stuff about the Polish violinist and the landlord being really taken with her—what’s your take on that? Side note: I really liked that quick moment where Ordinsky writes that letter complaining about the town’s musical taste. Have you ever written to a letters page? Do you even read those? And wow, do people still remember the whole “letters to the editor” thing? (I’m gonna go find ibuprofen for my back now…) Last thing: Jim gets invited out East after Cleric clocks that he’s way too into Lena. Then Lena gives a bit more about herself and they end up with that farewell scene. I’m interested what everyone thinks of Jim overall the past few chapters, Lena as a character, and what she’s supposed to represent in the book. Anything else you want to talk about?

My Antonia by Willa Cather

By shore-hollow

My aunt read a Punjabi version of this when she was a teenager, and she said it totally sparked her love for reading. She really wants to find it again, but she can’t seem to track it down anywhere. She asked me if I could find a Hindi or Punjabi translation for her—honestly even an ebook would be fine. I tried searching online, but nothing’s showing up for me. If anyone has any leads or resources, please let me know. I’d really like to help her out. Thanks!

My favorite descriptive passage in literature- from Willa Cather's "My Antonia"

By Round-Signal

I just wanted to say this is some of the most gorgeous writing I’ve ever run into, from a really good book I don’t think gets talked about enough. There’s this short passage about a farmer’s grave, and it hits hard—like he couldn’t handle the loneliness and the brutal life out on the Nebraska prairie, and you can really feel it. I read it and had to stop for a bit after, because it just sank in. The description is so vivid, even down to the sagging wire fence and the plain wooden cross, and how the roads kind of curve around so it feels like this little island of red grass. The part about it at twilight under a new moon or that evening star messed me up in the best way. It’s the kind of thing I don’t even know how to compare to anything else.

My Antonia: Book 2 Chapter 4 Discussion -

By Superuser

So a popcorn ball is basically exactly what it sounds like, right? I’ve heard of them but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one in real life. What kind of regional treats does everyone want to throw out here? Also, I can’t place who Lena is. I’m curious what people thought about how Antonia and Jim described her, and then whatever went down with Mrs Harling. These last few chapters were mostly calm, but the whole mess with Ole Benson, Crazy Mary, and Lena is kind of a riot. I don’t even know what the right question is though—like, is Lena just naive? And how would you react if someone who’d tried to burn down a barn was suddenly chasing you across the fields with a corn knife? Plus… is there something even more scandalous than a married man helping a young woman onto a horse? Anything else worth bringing up?

9/250 Finished: My Antonia by Willa Cather - what a beautiful book!

By glout_clever

Really enjoyed this one—such a lovely book.

My Antonia: Book 1 Chapter 6 Discussion -

By Superuser

I kept getting caught up on a couple moments in this chapter—especially how emotional the writing feels. I’m also really curious about the whole gift thing with Mr Shimerda and why Jim seems so uneasy about it, even though he’s promised the gun for later. And then there’s Ántonia being able to talk in English now and spending time with Jim in the autumn… I just can’t pin down a “favorite” spot to watch the sun go down, but it’s definitely the kind of scene that sticks with you.

My Antonia Final Wrap-up Post - Spoilers for entire novel

By crowMidnight

I’m gonna be honest, I’m not totally sure where to start with the discussion prompts, but I like them. What did you all think of the book overall—would you actually pass it on to a friend? Also, who was your favorite character, and who drove you nuts? I’d love to hear what stood out to you most and what you didn’t like, like where Steinbeck maybe could’ve done things better. Any big themes you felt kept popping up? We’re starting East of Eden on Monday, so I hope you can join in. If not, thanks for dropping your thoughts and comments (and the recipes). Maybe we’ll run into each other again out on the wide open classic book club prairies.

Curious about your thoughts on Willa Cather

By hiddenWolf

I just tried to read Willa Cather’s *The Professor’s House* and… yeah, it was really hard to get through. It’s set in the 1920s in a small college town by Lake Michigan, and it’s basically about a middle-aged history professor going through some kind of midlife crisis. He looks back on his whole career and also on his family stuff—an unhappy marriage, and what it’s like dealing with his daughters and their husbands. It’s about 260 pages, and I honestly don’t feel like anything much happens. The “big” moments, when they show up, are all tucked away inside people’s heads. It’s very much that WASP vibe where everything feels restrained, and they’re judging each other quietly—like by how someone eats a salad. Not my thing. I’ve seen people say it’s one of her lesser works, but then I also read that A.S. Byatt called it a masterpiece, which is where I’m getting confused. Is *this* pretty typical Cather? And if I should try another novel, which one? What do you all think of her in general?

What's your 2018 reading list?

By StarSteady98

Last year I kinda got back into reading, and this year I decided to make my own list and see what everyone else is picking up too. So far mine is: Finish *IT* by Stephen King. After that, no set order: - *The Green Mile* — Stephen King - *Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?* — Philip K. Dick - *John Dies at the End* — David Wong (I watched the movie at a friend’s place and then grabbed the book off ThriftBooks) - *120 Days of Sodom* — Marquis de Sade - *The Music of Eric Zann* — H.P. Lovecraft - *Salem’s Lot* — Stephen King - *Pet Sematary* — Stephen King - *The Shining* — Stephen King - *House of Leaves* — Mark Z. Danielewski It’s a bit ambitious, but I think I can manage. What’s everyone else reading this year?

My Antonia: Book 4 Chapter 4 Discussion-

By Superuser

Jim going to see Tony felt kind of heavy to me, like they’re not really able to step fully out of each other’s lives no matter what. And now with Gaston Cleric gone and Jim off in New York studying law, it feels like things are shifting a lot, but I’m not sure in a clean way. Antonia saying she wants her little girl to have a better chance than she did definitely hit me. I want good things for her, but I also kind of worry where it’s all headed. Jim and Tony really do seem tied together, whether they’re together or far apart, which is something I think happens sometimes with certain people. I’ve had that before, yeah, where someone just stays in your life in some weird way.

Book Review: “My Ántonia,” by Willa Cather (1918)

By DanReads70

“My Ántonia” by Willa Cather — B Themes: Friendship, life, reunions Favorite quote: “In twenty busy years you end up losing a lot of illusions. I didn’t want to give up the first ones. Some memories are real in a way, and better than anything that can happen later.” (p. 241) What stood out: ☑︎ Humor ☑︎ Beauty ☐ Experimental ☐ Hard to think through ☐ Visionary ☑︎ Moves at a good pace ☐ Poetic ☐ Bare-bones Big question it left me with: How much of the stuff that shapes how you live and treat people do you just pass by without really noticing? I feel like everyone has that one person who came into your life because of timing or circumstance — a teacher, a friend, a coworker — and even if you only overlapped for a little while or a long time, they still change how you see things. For Cather, and for the friend whose writings this book came from, that person is Ántonia Schimerda. Jim and Ántonia get thrown into strange new lives when they’re young, out on the Nebraska plains. Their home situations aren’t the same, but they share this sense of wonder about the Midwest and a kind of common past. The book follows them from arriving there, through their teen years, into adulthood, and then ends with that final reunion when they’re both in their 40s. What I liked most is how well it gets at the feelings tied to hometowns and the people we’re closest to. It says things about that feeling I usually don’t really stop and name. Like with “Death Comes for the Archbishop,” I kept noticing how carefully Cather watches people, little gestures, and ordinary moments. She makes all of that feel sharp and important, and sometimes what she doesn’t say is what hits hardest. Parts of Book 3 and Book 4 were especially good to me. If you know “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter,” there’s that scene where Mick Kelly gets totally carried away listening to Beethoven on her neighbor’s radio. I got a similar feeling here from Cather’s attention to what people feel inside and the tender places they try to hide. Really strong stuff. I also just love stories with nostalgia and shared history, so this worked for me. It has that warm, familiar feeling I get from old shows like The Wonder Years, with some of the rustic life vibe of The Waltons too. Those themes keep coming back over and over. Who is your Ántonia? For me it’s a college teacher who’s gone now. Just being around him felt encouraging and kind of elevating, and he pushed me to take ideas seriously. One of the nicest things Cather gets at here is that some bonds — between a father and daughter, or whoever your Ántonia is — can go past distance and even death. There’s something lasting you build with that person, and you can bring it back just by thinking of them with love. Maybe that’s what Browning meant in that sonnet line about loving better after death. Anyway, don’t just take my word for it. Cather’s “My Ántonia” says it pretty clearly, and so does McCarthy’s “The Road” in a different way. The people closest to us really do stay closest. And if they’re still here, tell them.

Favorite American 20th century female authors? Need recommendations

By TurtleBrook

Hi everyone! I’m taking a class this semester called “Women in American Literature from the 20th century.” We have to pick an author and do this pretty in-depth research paper, and I’m honestly stuck on who would be the most fun to write about. Problem is, a lot of my favorite stuff isn’t from that time period or it’s written by men. Does anyone have any recommendations for unique or less-famous female authors that could be good for a paper? Authors I usually like: Dostoyevsky, Steinbeck, Tolstoy, and Charlotte Brontë. And the classic female ones I’ve read: Virginia Woolf, Margaret Atwood, Sylvia Plath, and Toni Morrison. Edit: I just found out Virginia/Margaret aren’t American, so that was my mistake. Edit 2: Think I’m going with Ayn Rand.

My Antonia: Book 4 Chapter 1 Discussion -

By Superuser

East of Eden is about to kick off. The hardworking mods (aka not me) are trying to get the schedule together right now, and there’ll be an announcement post soon so we can talk about what’s coming up. Discussion prompts I’m curious about: - The “2.12” reminder about Antonia going to dances with Larry Donovan—Jim’s back home after years and it feels like nothing really changed. Have you ever “gone home” and felt the same way? With the holidays lately, I’ve been traveling and it’s made me think about that. - Jim seems let down by Antonia but also proud of Lena, and that’s not what I expected either. Is he being too harsh? - Tiny Soderball and that whole pioneer vibe—I'm not gonna lie, I had to look up Dawson City and it’s way out there. What did you think of her adventure? And what about Jim judging her later on? - Those last few sentences—do you get that feeling of just not being able to care about anything anymore? - Anything else people want to bring up? (Links: Gutenberg / Standard eBook / Librivox) Final line has me stuck: “She was satisfied with her success, but not elated...” Like she’d basically run out of the ability to get interested in things.

My Antonia: Book 2 Chapter 1 Discussion-

By Superuser

That last bit about her being made to husk corn for the neighbors until Christmas felt a little heavy, but I guess it also shows how hard things were. I’m kind of unsure if it’s really a “better” change, since it sounds like she still has to work no matter what. Still, I did like that her grandmother stepped in and got her another job with the Harlings instead.

Willa Cather's My Ántonia | More like my personal hell

By LateBeaver

If I ended up in hell and the only thing I had to read was Willa Cather, I don’t think I’d be that upset.

If you love Jane Austen, you'll probably like...

By SageMarble2004

Everyone seems to agree that if you’ve read all of Austen, you’re probably just looking for more Austen (or at least something with the same vibe). I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time when I was a teenager and it seriously blew my mind—I had no idea books could be that good. Since then I’ve been chasing that same “I need more of this” feeling, and most of my favorite finds have come from those “If you like Jane Austen, you’ll probably like…” lists. Time to add a bunch to my TBR, so I’m really hoping to snag some recommendations I haven’t seen before. Thanks!