My Antonia question #8

"My Antonia" by Willa Cather reflects events in history very well. I think the author did a good job describing events and you could really picture what it was like back then. One of the main reasons the events are reflected so well is because of the amount of detail put into this book. Willa is very specific about the setting and describes the environment very well so it is easy to picture in your head while reading. One of the main historical events I picked out was the gold rush in Alaska. This was very exciting for the people of this time and the author reflected that well. One of the girls from the book, Tiny Soderball actually makes a small fortune from it. Other events reflected was when dancing became popular and the different dances that came to town. Antonia loved them and was a natural dancer. I think overall events in history were reflected well. As far as responsibilities Cather believed existed between various groups in society, I think the town workers and farm workers were one of them. I think this just because of the completely different lifestyles the two groups lived and how manual labor for a woman was looked down upon. On the farm, Antonia worked in the fields like the men, but when she came in town to work she had to present herself as a lady. If Antonia had come to town looking like she did on the farm, she would be judged more than she already was. Another set of responsibilities I think Cather believed in could have existed between different groups in society was between men and women. Now I do not think there was a huge difference, but it did seem like the women were meant to work in the home while the men had job. When Antonia was forced to work in the fields, it was not common. Examples of the men having real jobs would be Antonia's ex-fiance, Larry Donovan, who was a railroad conductor, and also Jim Burden, who became a lawyer. The jobs the women had in this book consisted of littler occupations like dress making or a laundry service. I think Willa Cather was probably influenced by the Alaskan gold rush and new immigrants to the country.

Cather, Willa. My Antonia. New York: Barns & Noble, 2003. Print.