AP English My Antonia: Home

Natalie Ronn Paulina Christy

Cather, Willa. "Roll Call on the Praries." Willacather.org. 20 Feb. 2013.

       Willa Cather writes of the effect of WW1 on small towns and rural areas in the Midwest.  Unlike the city, small rural communities, especially women, contributed to aiding the troops. For example, the women created new recipes to save flour and sugar. The women helped sew garments for the Red Cross while their husbands and sons fought in France. The garments went to soldiers and destitute Belgian civilians. Because these families lived in tight-knit communities they shared the excitement when they receive letters from their sons. Cather also describes how many immigrants came to America to escape war in their homes, but they must face it again.

         The theme of immigration also appears in each of Cather’s pieces. All of the hired girls in My Antonia were immigrants or their parents were. Language and culture barriers created conditions that were particularly bad for immigrants. Immigrants during WW1 had to deal with similar hardships; they left trying escape war, yet are pulled back into the fire in America. Cather in both texts, clearly wants to shine a light on the sacrifices which many immigrant families have made.

Christy Natalie Ronn Paulina

  Hershon, Joanna. ""Oy Pioneers!"" New York Times. N.p., 8 June 2008. Web. 5 Mar. 2013

  The article "Oy Pioneers!" is an intrigue piece of work written by Deborah Weisgall comparing Willa Cather's literary work to that of Joanna Hershon. Joanna Hershon is an amazing writer who wrote the novel, "The German Bride" which is about  a young woman named Eva Frank who is from a family of immigrants that moved to the United States in search of a better life. Eva goes through many hardships and struggles learning a life in America. Hershon's style is similar to Cather's in the aspect of having a strong, independent woman as one of the main characters.

      In "The German Bride" the herion is Eva. Eva is similar to Antonia because they both see the beauty to life and all of the amazing things that come with it. Both Eva and Antonia have rough lifes, but they see the light in it which is all that matters. Cather and Hershon both are feminists who believe that women are just as capable of the things that men can do. These values and beliefs reflect onto both of their writings.

Sydney Kiwi Siana

Smith, Ann. "Can Our Childhood Really Predict Our Future?" Psychologytoday.com. Healthy Connections, 28 Apr. 2010. Web. 4 Mar. 2013. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/healthy-connections/201004/can-our-childhood-really-predict-our-future>.

This website uncovers myths about childhood memories & how they affect children as they grow into adults. The author confirms that as far as memories go, quality trumps quantity. Very few memories does not mean the person had a bad childhood, however it doesn't mean it was good. A measure of how good someone's childhood was can only really be seen in the person's current life. Just about anything that happens to someone as a child, even if he/she doesn't, can affect the person as an adult. Childhood shapes personality, & childhood experiences leave a very large impact on people as they grow. 

This directly relates to My Antonia because Jimmy's childhood with her shapes who he is as a person. Because he put so much importance into his childhood with Antonia, he remained a static character throughout the entire story. He did "mature", but his general devotion to Antonia & his reliance on the past kept his personality at a stand still.

I would consider this resource relatively reliable. Other websites said similar things. Most other websites didn't have this much in depth detail. This site is a blog, however, professionals have access to blogs as well as common people. This site is pretty trustworthy. 

Kiara, Sydney,Siana

"Menu."Word Press. The Dainty Damsel, 11 May 2012. Web. 04 Mar. 2013.< http://thedaintydamsel.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/childhood-nostalgia-a-poem/>.

   The poem Childhood Nostalgia recalls the memories of a young girl who her blissful childhood in the cove. This poem captures a time when the author had no cares beside her friends and the ever changing weather. Though time went on she never forgot what her childhood gave to her. She was reliving her past through that rhyme, since she cannot regain time. Her idea of time and idealness gives the work a certain innocents that My Antonia shares. I feel that this is a reliable source because word press is a blog to free your mind and when making connections you must open your mind to somone elses to see similarities and i was able to do that with this site

Siana, Sydney, Kiara

Seymour, Elizabeth L. "Nursing as a Profession for Women." The Willa Cather Archive. Web. 5 Mar. 2013. http://cather.unl.edu

     In this non-fiction piece from the Willa Cather Archive, the author, Elizabeth Seymour, writes an informative article on the rising occupation of nursing during the late 1800’s. She is directing her article to anyone who will listen, telling her audience how someone may become a nurse, what the job usually entails, and how nurses are dominantly women, with the numbers growing. The article is an explanation of women’s roles in health care and the stressful atmosphere of hospitals that allows women to become more strong and independent if they choose. The author argues that women becoming nurses shuts down the stereotype of women only belonging at home as housekeepers for their husbands and goes into great detail with the struggles that nurses go through taking care of the sick and injured.

   Cather puts women figures in My Antonia by putting her characters through situations that illustrate women as both weak and strong. Antonia works as a maid for multiple families, along with her friend Lena, and Cather uses them as examples of women immigrants looked down on because of the fact that they are women. Although Lena and Antonia go different paths, Lena being more adventurous than Antonia in personality, Cather strengthens her characters by putting them through situations that allow them to grow. When they may have been immature at times as children, they grow up to be independent, going opposite ways, but both being in complete control of their lives. Much like the women that became nurses instead of staying at home like most people may have thought more, Cather made out her characters to have more freedom and control in their lives. While having a job as a nurse is difficult, like Antonia and Lena who had their own struggles, it is possible to overcome challenges if it’s a challenge worth overcoming.

Clarissa, Emilee, Alex, Jasmine

Vargas, Jose Antonio. "My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant." New York Times: n.
pag. Web. 3 Mar. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/magazine/
my-life-as-an-undocumented-immigrant.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0>.

At the age of 12, Jose Antonio Vargas left his hometown in the Philippines. Jose left the Philippines and came to America so he could have a life that would be beneficial for him later. After 20 years, Jose has come open with his story as an Undocumented Immigrant. An Undocumented Immigrant is someone who entered the U.S illegally. Before leaving, the Philippines Jose was given a “Passport”. However, this Passport was a fake. It was only used so he could come to America. The main purpose of this article is to discuss “the life as an Undocumented Immigrant”. Many People in the United Sates give Immigrants such crap about how they take their jobs and should not be welcomed here. But, from their perspective their trying to get a job as well. They work hard for what they want and if they get it clearly, someone who did want the job did not work hard enough. Jose Antonio Vargas is now a journalist and a great one at that and as an undocumented immigrant the biggest fear is being caught. However, that did not stop him from having a better life than when he lived in the Philippines. This article was towards more of an older audience.

Jose Antonio Vargas is the perfect individual to relate to the story My Antonia.  Both Jim and Antonia relate to Jose Antonio Vargas because in the beginning of the story the narrator describes the travel to Black Hawk a city in Nebraska. Throughout the entire story Jim and Antonia, begin their lives in a new society as immigrants, new experiences of life.  In the article, Jose begins his story when he was younger and then he describes his life growing up and what he has accomplished. Willa Cather the author of my Antonia is going for more of a younger audience. For her story is about two immigrants who become the best of friends but live two separate lives that push them away from each other in the end. Jose Antonio Vargas explains the struggles of being an undocumented immigrant. As for both main characters in "My Antonia", the character that struggles the most is Jim. Jim is attached to the past for it was the years he felt free and able to be himself.  Now as a grown man, he has nothing he has lost what he once had in the past. However, Jim becomes very successful he graduates from both high school and college. Jose becomes very successful, as well, he becomes a journalist, and if I were to compare a character to Jose Antonio Vargas, it definitely would be Jim. They both came to a country unknown to them discovering new things and experiencing the life of an American. Many immigrants say they leave their country because they want a better life than what they had. Both Jose and Jim represent immigrants who come to America for a better life. This article and the story are both stories of immigrants and their new lives in a new country.

Alex, Emilee, Jasmine, Clarissa

Cooney, Joy. "A Mediating Presence in Cather’s My Antonia." (n.d.): 142-45. NWU Library (Academic Search Premier). Web

            A Mediating Presence in Cather’s My Antonia was a short piece of literary criticism that discussed the many symbols used in the novel My Antonia. Joy Cooney was the author and it seemed like she wrote this for her college class. She probably wrote this for an assignment at school after reading the novel. It appears that she read closely and looked at the different mediators and symbolic points such as when the sun and moon were both out at the same time. In this case, a mediator was basically a symbol that bridged a gap between the characters, settings or situations. In one section she discussed how the land was a mediator between the past and present because a simple smell of a flower brought back many fond memories of her original home for Antonia in one section.

            This piece of literary criticism really helped me noticed things that seemed insignificant to me before. There was one instance that included the sun and the moon being out at the same time and the piece of work stated that it could have been a metaphor for a few different things. It could have represented how Jim and Antonia parted ways, the difference in city life and rural life, or even the American and the non-American. The literary criticism was focused on the many different ways Cather was able to use rhetorical strategies in her writing. After reading this piece of literary criticism, I feel like I have gained a deeper understanding about the numerous strategies that Cather uses. She is a brilliant writer that is able to slip symbolism into anywhere.

EMILEE,Alex, Jasmine, Clarissa

Hendryx, Stuart. "The Post Office." Bibliofaction.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb.
     2013. Non fiction short story romantic

Love: the fundamental element of life. Although often thought of as one of the hardest human emotions to describe,it is expertly represented in the nonfiction short story entitled, “The Post Office” by Stuart Hendryx. It is said that when two meet and have an instant attraction, it is indescribable; almost magnetic. Some may call them soul mates, others star-crossed lovers.  Just this notion is seen clearly in Hendryx’s spell-binding story, which starts off as innocently as another trip to the Post Office. While waiting in a seemingly never-ending line, a man and a woman take a glance at one another; a glance that would entangle their lives in more way than one. After exchanging numbers on a whim, they part ways, with plans to meet later that night. Yet after the entrancing woman fails to show up, the man finds himself going back to his old plans, and prepares for an arranged blind date. Stranger still, this woman who was his blind date does not make herself present either, only adding insult to injury regarding this man’s poor ego. It is later learned that there was a horrific accident involving both the man’s post office love, and arranged date. It also is learned that these two women are in fact the same person.  The man, although unimaginably heartbroken, learns a moral out of this whole endeavor: fate has a funny way of reminding us that love can come into our lives just as easily as it can go out. One must live in the moment regarding such sentiments, and under no circumstances should one settle. The human heart is one that thrives on love; one that thrives on being connected with another.

                In reading this short story by Hendryx, I was able to make some insightful connections to Cather’s “My Antonia”.  One of these includes the shared notion that two people are capable of having such an instant attraction, that it can only be described as “love”. Some couples go months, even years without uttering these words, and yet with love-at –first –sight occurrences, these words are said almost instantaneously within of meeting. Irrational perhaps, but entertaining nonetheless, these relationships remind the human brain what it means to care for another person.  Another connection is the shared scenario of a love that cannot be. Whether it was not “written in the stars”, or simply complicated by fate, both of these stories end with the two lovers separated. I believe this plays an important role though, showing that although separated, feelings for another person often are not halted, but rather heightened. Jim in “My Antonia” is away from his Antonia for some 20 years, and yet when he returned, he found her as beautiful as ever, picking up right where he left of those many years ago. And although Antonia has a family and a husband, it is almost impossible not to feel a sense of attraction between these two. Perhaps they will never be bound by vows or connected by a ring, but their hearts will forever be interconnected by an underlying sentiment of platonic love.  Hendryx also shows this by the lasting spiritual connection between the man and his deceased star-crossed lover. Although it is possible this woman simply wanted to chat, or make a new fair-weather friend, it does not lessen the effects she made on this man’s heart. Fate both brought her into his life, and whisked her out of it, but perhaps for the best. Love often burns brightly for only a short while, eventually dwindling away into a slight flicker, raising the question if fast love is truly more passionate. Nevertheless, love is not only a necessity in life; it is in fact the definition.

JASMINE, Clarissa, Emilee, and Alex

Jefferson, Margo. "On Writers and Writing; Not in Nebraska Anymore." New York Times, 3 Aug. 2003. Web. 4 Mar. 2013.

 "ON WRITERS AND WRITING; Not in Nebraska Anymore" is an article written by Margo Jefferson, infused with her love and admiration for Willa Cather. She says that her mind literally closed down when she read My Antonia. Cather's books were not just amazing novels, they were of the arts; something that was honestly beautiful. Her words were paint brushes depicting the true beauty of the Midwest and all the stories it possessed Two of Jefferson's most favored novels are "A Lost Lady" and "My Mortal Enemy." Both of these novels were similar in the fact that they both contained strong independent women as main characters. Cather does this as a representation of herself. She saw the beauty in women for who we are as individuals and the greatness we can achieve.

   This article really goes into depth of Willa Cather's personality. It would be true to say she is a feminist and each of her novels, like that of My Antonia, contain an admired female character. In My Antonia, this woman would obviously be Antonia. Antonia is beautiful, and for many reasons I might add. She is a very independent and caring individual who would stand up for her believes and values. Cather can be seen as Antonia. Just as she can be seen as Marian Forrester in "A Lost Lady" and Nellie Birdseye in "My Mortal Enemy". She incorporates herself into her novels by giving her characters the qualities that she also has. I find this very unique of Cather to do, and it is almost impossible to find a novel without a strong woman written by her. Her imagery and tone is a voice for women, showing their true power and beauty. Not only is Willa Cather an outstanding author, but a powerful voice for women as well.

  Katie, Joey, Marisa, Angie

Rene. "My Immigration Story - Home." My Immigration Story - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2013. <http://www.myimmigrationstory.com/>.

                The struggles and disadvantages of being an immigrant are apparent in both My Antonia, and Rene's story of her life. Rene is 24 years old and has been living in the United States as an illegal immigrant for two decades. Her and her family came to America in search for a better life, and to live the American dream. The struggles began almost immediately arriving. Her father was deported and there was no source of income. Her mother picked vegetables and fruits in a field just so they would be able to eat a small amount. Her older siblings had to give up their education so they could also work. They made sacrifices at just 12 and 13 years old, to help their family survive. Although there were hardships and there were many sacrifices Rene fought through and received her high school diploma; becoming the first one in her family to reach that high of education. She has also married, and had a beautiful daughter and is now pursuing a medical career.

                Rene's story reminds me a lot of Antonia's story in My Antonia. The struggles Antonia's family faced were devastating. She lost her father, they had to rely on people to help them out, they had a hard time understanding English, and they were not respected like they should have been. Rene also had hardships. Her father wasn't around to help them, her siblings gave up everything for them to survive. But, in the end both Antonia and Rene got married, had kids, and were satisfied with their life. They both got to experience the American dream.

Marisa, Angie, Joey, Katie

Cather, Willa. "The Willa Cather Archivecather.unl.edu." Editorial. The Home Monthly Aug. 1896: 20-21. Print.

This short fiction story, The Princess Baladina – Her Adventure, was written by Willa Cather in 1896. In it, Princess Baladina is looking for a wizard to put an enchantment on her, so a prince will rescue her and take her away from her family, who had punished her for kicking and biting the nurse. After leaving the castle, she meets a miller boy who tries to help her find her prince. Her seemingly childish adventure presents some adult themes, such as societal roles. Cather argues that societal status does not define the person, because the kindest person in the novel was only a poor miller boy. She may also be suggesting that money negatively impacts a person’s personality. The audience for this magazine were probably stay at home mothers, so this message would lead them to reconsider their place in life. Many people desire more money because it means that they are better than others, however, this short story attempts to teach them that money and greed are not always positive things.

Princess Baladina came from a high place in society, like Jim in My Antonia. They both associate with people of “lesser” status and learn that they are good people despite their monetary value. Neither can be with the person who is the kindest to them because of their roles in society. Jim was considered odd for hanging around girls who were seen as loose and uncivilized. Baladina however doesn’t understand how such a kind boy could be a miller’s son, and concludes that he is actually a prince. She is too involved in their caste system to comprehend the fact that role does not reflect personality.                                 

Angie, Marisa, Joey, Katie

"Willa Cather Memorial Prairie." Brittanica. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Willa
     Cather. Web. 5 Feb. 2013. <http://www.willacather.org/cather-prairie/
     about-the-prairie>.

Willa Cather Memorial Prairie, written by the
     Willa Cather Archives, is an intriguing article about a prairie in Western
     Nebraska dedicated to Willa Cather. The archives were written by women and
     men who have studied Willa Cather and her homeland, and they seemed to take
     great pride in the prairie and wanted readers to share their love of the
     prairie. Willa Cather Memorial Prairie was written for all people,
     but the authors probably knew that the majority of their readers would be
     big fans of Willa Cather. The article was written mainly to inform people
     of the Willa Cather Memorial Prairie; before reading this article, I was
     unaware that the memorial prairie existed, but now I am interested in
     visiting it. The Willa Cather Memorial Prairie is open land near Red Cloud
     (the town which Black Hawk from My Antonia was based off of). It is 680
     miles of open land, dedicated to preserve land, keep a portion of Nebraska
     looking like it did before the 1900s, and offer a safe habitat for numerous
     bird species; and it is dedicated to a woman of the plains: Willa Cather. 
      

This article is beneficial to people who read My Antonia. It
     provides a clear image of what the Nebraska Willa Cather wrote about was
     like: plain. No mountain ranges, no forests, no rivers; Nebraska land is
     flat and it is covered in lots of grass. This article vividly describes
     what the Memorial Prairie is like, which paints an image for readers which
     is like looking into the past. As you read the article, the image of
     Nebraska is transformed into one of great simplicity. The biggest
     connection this has to the text is (as aforementioned) that Red Cloud,
     which is where the Memorial Prairie is, is the town which Black Hawk was
     based off of. This truly describes what Jim and Antonia's home is like. It
     is very helpful to read as you read My Antonia, especially Parts I,
     II, and V, because that is where the majority of the story in those parts
     take place. It is easy to imagine Jim Burden and Antonia running around on
     the Willa Cather Memorial Prairie. 

Joey, Marisa, Katie, Angie

Cather, Willa. "Music and Drama." Nebraska State Journal 14 Nov. 1894: n. pag. 
     The Willa Cather Archive. Web. 4 Mar. 2013. 

In a journal piece published in the Nebraska State Journal in 1984, Willer Cather wrote a very descriptive review of the musical called “Jane”.  She described it as “all times and under all circumstances an enjoyable comedy.”  She notes the breathtaking climaxes and resolutions that she made seem godly, “so strong that it would take a genius to make the play dull”.  Continuing her optimism, on the same review Cather tells of Willard Kimball’s classical music recital.  Once again extremely pleased, Cather lavishly compliments the accompanying pianist Martinus Sieveking and his marvelous fingers.  As for the last performance, Cather does not mention anything of musical opinion on L.F. Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s concert but rather only focuses on her captivation with the representative’s hall and the audience’s visual response.  

Willer Cather’s whole- hearted intuition towards music did not just appear in journal reviews such as this one, but there is a remarkable chapter in My Antonia on a visiting black pianist named d’Arnault .  While others have told me that they feel Cather was belittling the blind fellow, aside from that, I think Cather loved his music.  I don’t know what she thought about his skin color but nonetheless I can tell music is an important part of her life.  In My Antonia she is so specific when writing d’ Arnault’s hotel performance and the great merry created from the fingers on the keys to the feet in people’s dancing spirits that I honestly thought she appreciated this musician upon finishing that chapter.  But even beyond that scene, Cather always makes the sounds of her environments musical; Jimmy (the narrator) conveys a connection between him and the noise from wherever he is at.  (Cather tends to introduce each chapter with a concrete environment).  However, because he feels a connection with this noise, it’s not mere noise anymore; it is music.  This is why I feel that Cather appropriates a certain musicality when the wind blows, when the wagon creeks, or when the grass moves.  It is interesting to me because I really feel that Cather is simply a musician who doesn’t play an instrument. 

Patrick, Precious, Katelyn

Hendryx, Stuart. "The Post Office Visit." Short Story: By Stuart Hendryx. Bibliofaction, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013.

   Hendryx reminisces on one of the most influential moments in his life, which could happen to anyone. Intended to cause an ordinary person reflect on the more mundane tasks in life and evaluate their worth, which is necessary to push oneself towards greater success. This story was written to portray the effect chance encounters can leave on individuals, and consequently those closest to them. This story portrays love at first sight, and how this phenomena can have a lasting impact on those involved, be it positive or negative. After Hendryx and the mystery girl from the Post Office part ways, they both do not want to partake in their nightly plans, but they do. Hendryx gets stood up while attending to his plans, because of an accident that involved both the mystery girl and the arranged date, because they were one in the same. Hendryx and this girl were truly star crossed lovers, and could never have been.

   The Post Office illuminates Willa Cather's argument that love at first sight is possible, but it may not end with both parties getting what they imagined. Jim and Antonia's relationship was very similar to Hendryx and the Post Office girl because they hit it off early on in their relationship. This story helps me see My Antonia more clearly, because I felt that the book was a big metaphor fot Jim and Antonia's love, but it was really just Jims love for Antonia. The Post Office is a great comparison to the relationship development in My Antonia, because neither party acheives what was expected, although they have no ill feelings toward each other. My Antonia ended tagically for Jim because he was unable to have Antonia, just as Hendryx was unable to have the mystery woman.

Precious, Katelyn, Patrick

Scibaa. "A Short Story on Love" April 17, 2007

    This has got to be one of the saddest short stories I have read in a while. Scibba gives a timeline of how life was for him and his lady friend from start until their terrible accident that she didnt make it out of. They seem to be what was perfect for eachother. But while i was reading the story i was beginning to think it was maybe to good to be true. They were both perfect for each other and grew very close to one another in a matter of time. They had a bond that wouldn't ever be broken. Until something that was completely out of their control happened. They got into a deadly car accident and while he made it out of the accident alright, his friend never made it, she was reported dead at the scene and gone just like that. This short story could be an example as to why we should be thankful for everything that we have now, because nothing is truly promised to us for the next time around.

   A Short Story on Love has its simiarites and differences to My Antonia. When Jim and Antonia first meet its not something that you would consider love at first sight like maybe this short story would be called. They meet with each and hang out all the time and as the story goes on later in the future the part ways and do their own things. Complete difference from the short story. Jim and Antonia both love each dearly because they have been friends for so long but they just havnt been as close like the two characters from the short story. At the end of the day it turns out that Jim and the male character didnt turn out to have what they wanted. Antonia married and have servarl children before Jim returned and the guys friend died in a car accident which separted them both.

Kelsey, Nixon, Dustin

"Long Lost Love" The Huff Post

"Long Lost Love: Couple Marries 40 Years after Meeting On the Beach." Huff Post: Post 50. (2012): 1-2. Web. 4 Mar. 2013. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/10/long-lost-love-rediscover_n_1756109.html>

   This article is about a young boy and girl, Larry Wasser and Laura Melon, who met at the beach when they were both very young, children in fact, and automatically had crushes on each other. They were friends first and foremost though, and through the many summers their families spent together, never became an "item" of romantic interest. One year their families did not meet at the beach like every other year, and Larry and Laura drifted apart, not reconnecting again for 37 years. They then drifted from how Cather's story ended, in that they began to date, and then got married, and have now been married for quite sometime. 

   Cather's story of Jimmy and Antonia starts off with them meeting as children, and becoming friends, like Laura and Larry. They then are together for many summers, along with their families, and suddenly, they drift apart. This happens with Antonia and Jimmy as well, and then after many years of being apart, they come to see each other again, and in both cases, the love was not lost, however, in Laura and Larry's case, they act upon their love in the way of marriage, and in Jimmy's and Antonia's, they see each other more often, but that is all. This reveals a lot to me about love, and how love survives through the passage of time, through thick and thin, and that your best friend really can become your significant other. Jimmy and Antonia had a deep understanding and love from the beginning, and they never lost that, even through all the years they didn't see each other. 

Paulina Jennings Natlie Seger Ronnie Turner Chirsty Mattis

Willa Cather Biography. Literature Network: Willa Cather. 2005. Web. 3 Mar. 2013

            Willa Cather as an author demonstrates the difference between reality and the choice to make your own. With each an every one of her stories, Cather uses descriptions and allows to pull in the audience to make the connection to be able to read between the lines and view from multiple perspectives. From the childhood of Cather to the journey undertook to become the well known author shows the obstacles must be over thrown and work would have to meet. Although, a first time reading a book of hers, from a personal perspective the book grew with every page. The obstacles where like a rollercoaster rolling off the page allowing each point to increase the story to keep every reader intact.

            Every character contained something special and unique along with the differences to peruse the average relationships present in today’s society. Being able to relate to the story demonstrates whether or not the reader/ audience will enjoy the book. Meaning they are allowed to put their selves in character’s shoes and visualize it as if it was something surrounding them. Cather ways of writing show something special that other author may not notice. She shows love allowing one stories to present many different ways. Every book relates to the one before or after making every book like a timeline of how she is the outside world. Especial, My Antonia and My Mortal Enemy, the books may have different plot lines but they share something similar facing the one holding you back the most which is yourself. Willa Cather is an amazing author because she cares enough to put the audience into mind while writing.

Christy Natalie Ronn Paulina

  Hershon, Joanna. ""Oy Pioneers!"" New York Times. N.p., 8 June 2008. Web. 5 Mar. 2013

  The article "Oy Pioneers!" is an intrigue piece of work written by Deborah Weisgall comparing Willa Cather's literary work to that of Joanna Hershon. Joanna Hershon is an amazing writer who wrote the novel, "The German Bride" which is about  a young woman named Eva Frank who is from a family of immigrants that moved to the United States in search of a better life. Eva goes through many hardships and struggles learning a life in America. Hershon's style is similar to Cather's in the aspect of having a strong, independent woman as one of the main characters.

      In "The German Bride" the herion is Eva. Eva is similar to Antonia because they both see the beauty to life and all of the amazing things that come with it. Both Eva and Antonia have rough lifes, but they see the light in it which is all that matters. Cather and Hershon both are feminists who believe that women are just as capable of the things that men can do. These values and beliefs reflect onto both of their writings.

Ronn, Christy, Paulina, Natalie

Cooney, Joy. "A Mediating Presence in Cather’s My Antonia." Northern Arizona University (2011): 142-45. Print.

The article 'A Meditating Presence in Cather's My Antonia" is Joy Cooney's analysis of the ideas and content that make Willa Cather's classic book, My Antonia so unique. The author of the article does not stray far from the opinions of most readers or the intentions of Cather. The article starts of observing the scenery in much of the same fashion that Cather does when she first introduces Nebraska and Jim Burden. In both we see a contrast from the Shimerdas homelands in the beautiful Bohemia and the flat lands in Black Hawk.. Cooney herself seeks to contrast Nebraska with itself calling the land both "harsh" and "spiritual". Nebraska was not easy for Mr. Shimerda, Jim or Antonia to grow into. 

Of course the scenery of Nebraska, like Bohemia and any other place, can be one of calming and unnerving elements. The parts of the book and Cooney's article do not simply view Nebraska, New York or Bohemia as just settings. They are in fact part of the characters, they influence who it is that these people are to become. As Cooney points out, "Jim's memories of Antonia are inextricably linked to the Nebraska sky, the copper prairie and the winding rivers and paths of Black Hawk". Jim moves to Nebraska, grows into Nebraska and then at one point grows out of Nebraska. In a way the common and unchanging environment of Black Hawk compliments the ever-changing characters perfectly. As the saying goes the more things change, the more they stay the same. This book is about personal growth. 

Jayme, Caitlin, Luis

Kooser, Ted. "So This Is Nebraska." By Ted Kooser : The Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2013.

This poem, "So This Is Nebraska" by Ted Kooser tells of his experiences and emotions while driving through a Nebraska town. Kooser writes the poem through an unknown "you", which seems as if it is addressed to each audience member reading it. He puts them in the scene as if they are there, instead of him. This makes it seem more real to the reader. The entire tone of the poem is built on a lazy drive through the country setting. Kooser uses scenes from nature to make it seem like the person in the poem, "you", wants to stay in the country, almost as if they want to become a part of it themselves. They feel a sudden urge to abandon their drive and sink in with the rest of the people. This pull to nature shows just how powerful and alluring Nebraska can be.

Kooser's poem and Willa Cather's "My Antonia" are based in the same country setting of Nebraska. But it is clear by the way they describe nature that the texts are connected on a deeper level. Both authors show how nature can evoke emotion. Jimmy and the "you" in the poem are unmoved at first by the plain appearance of the country, but after they really look at nature they realize how magical it can be. Kooser and Cather use concrete imagery to perfectly paint the scene around them. The characters have no choice but to feel an indescribiable draw to it. But in the end both characters leave the inviting setting behind. Jimmy leaves for college, and "you" keeps driving on. They only experienced it for a short while, but it was long enough that they realized magic of nature.

Luis, Caitlin, Jayme

Cooney, Joy. “A Mediating Presence in Cather’s MY ANTONIA”. The Explicator, Vol. 69, No. 3, 142–145, 2011 <http://lgdata.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/docs/3162/664138/My_Antonia--Literary_Criticism.pdf>

In this segment by Joy Cooney, she talks about how there is a mediator in My Antonia. She describes what Cather is like as an author; she seems to want to stick out in good ways. She goes through what she believes are some of the hidden mediators from My Antonia. One of them is landscape and how it represents transformation. Antonia was able to adapt to the changes that moving to a new country brings, but her father wasn’t so lucky, thus he died. The purpose of this is to share her knowledge with other readers of the book My Antonia.

This passage by Cooney helped me understand My Antonia on a more intellectual level. Before I read this, I never thought to think of any of the things she said about mediators. The mediator examples were really insightful, and made me look at every page in a different matter. This goes along with the rhetorical and literary situations that we have been studying quite well. I used this to better understand the book, and Cather as a whole on a new level.

Caitlin, Jayme, Luis

Frost, Robert. "Acquainted with the Night." PoemHunter.com. N.p., 03 Jan. 2003. Web. 5 Mar. 2013. <http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/acquainted-with-the-night/>.

            In the poem, “Acquainted with the Night” by Robert Frost, talks about the stillness of life when one stops to look at it. Frost writes about the city and streetlights late at night and passing people who do not respond. Frost writes in first person and describes the scenery with a mysterious air to the reader. The specific location is left unknown to the reader and continues to describe the moon as if it were a clock. The audience is unclear but probably is focused on anyone interested in nature and night. Frost was trying to show that the night is not all that mysterious once a person is submersed in it.

            “Acquainted with the Night” helps with my understanding of “My Antonia” because of its relation to nature. Both the poem and story talk extensively about nature and describes it using similes and metaphors. Time is also a huge factor in both texts. “My Antonia” has several moments that focus on the sun setting while “Acquainted with the Night” focuses around the time of midnight. Time easily connects to life and how important and precious they both are. Despite that it is necessary for the reader to accept these terms and continue to move forward once the moment has passed.

Madi, Renee, Sarah, Reigan

Cather, Willa. "Peter." The Hesperian. N.p., 1892. 10-12. The Willa Cather
     Archive. Web. 3 Mar. 2013. <http://cather.unl.edu/ss019.html>.

   In this excerpt of The Hesperian, we learn about Peter and his relationship with his son, Antone.  Peter was a musician from Bohemia.  His family moved to Nebraska when he had a stroke and could no longer play the violin in the theater.  Peter was very homesick, and drank a lot.  He didn't care about the country at all.  Antone was a mean, hardworking man.  He made sure things got done; the opposite of his father.  The two got into an argument over Peter's violin.  Antone knew the family needed money, but Peter refused to sell it.  Antone gets angry and leaves Peter alone.  When he tries to play his violin, he realizes that he can no longer do so and ends his life.  An argument Cather implies is that it's hard to let go of the past.  We set out to find our purpose in life, and when we can no longer fulfill that purpose, we no longer have a reason to live.  Peter believed his purpose was music.  He couldn't let that go.

   Peter is the Mr. Shimerda of this story.  They are almost exactly the same character.  They're both musicians that came to Nebraska from Bohemia, they do not like farm work, and they were both depressed to a point where they thought ending their life was the best choice.  In this short story, we realize that life must go on.  Antone knew that and ended up selling his fathers violin.  This is where it and My Antonia differ.  The Shimerdas didn't want to forget their father, but Antone went on with his life as if nothing happened; as far as we know.  This helped me understand Ambrosch's character better.  He had to be the one to keep the family in line because his father wasn't helping out.  They needed some authority.  I believed Ambrosch to be the mean one, but now I understand that he was just doing what was best for his family. 

Sarah Kort, Reigan, Madi, Renee

“The Immigrant Experience: The Czechs Move to Nebraska.” NebraskaStudies.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb 2013. <http://www.nebraskastudies.org> 

            Moving to Nebraska from another country is quite the traumatizing experience for many immigrants. This informational article included information as to why so many Bohemians moved out of their homeland and relocated to Nebraska; one of the many reasons was due to drought and overpopulated areas in Czechoslovakia. In conclusion to that problem, most Czechs were farmers when they came over, so they would never have to face near-starvation again. Over 25%, according to the article, of farmers in Nebraska were Bohemian. In the novel, My Antonia, by Willa Cather, Antonia’s family is experiencing the same type of situation. In order to completely and accurately understand all aspects of her situation from a psychological standpoint, some of this background information is crucial. The purpose of this article is to give the reader insight, and with that insight the reader can connect it to the novel.

            With the information given above, it helps illuminate why Antonia behaved the way she did during the timespan of the novel. If the situation above occurred while Antonia was living in Czechoslovakia, it explains why Antonia was so willing to help her family after her father died. Emotionally, almost starving would have scarred her as a child. So when the breadwinner of the family is gone, she would be the one to take over the responsibilities of caring and providing for her family. Throughout the text, it is portrayed to the reader that Antonia views Nebraska as the land of opportunities, so she is going to work hard to manipulate those opportunities and possess a greater outcome. 

Annotated Bibliography

Definitions

A bibliography is a list of sources (books, journals, websites, periodicals, etc.) one has used for researching a topic. Bibliographies are sometimes called "references" or "works cited" depending on the style format you are using. A bibliography usually just includes the bibliographic information (i.e., the author, title, publisher, etc.).

An annotation is a summary and/or evaluation.

Therefore, an annotated bibliography includes a summary and/or evaluation of each of the sources. Depending on your project or the assignment, your annotations may do one or more of the following:

·         Summarize: Summarize the text using its rhetorical situation. Who is the author, what is its purpose? Who is the audience? What is the context/exigence? What are the main arguments? What is the point of this story or article? What topics are covered? If someone asked what this text is about, what would you say? This should be a paragraph in length.

·         Evaluate: After summarizing a source, it may be helpful to evaluate it. How does it illuminate to the novel you read? Identify and explain the significance of at least one connection. Connections can be rhetorical, poetic, thematic, historical, stylistic, political, and/or relate to your experiences. This should be one paragraph in length.

Click "Edit" in the upper right corner to add text.

Write the first name of each group member. Place your name in bold.

Be sure to spell check.  There is a spell checker in this program or you can type in word first.

Greg, Marsha, Jan, Cindy

Cabera, Nolan L., and Amado M. Padilla. “Entering and Succeeding in the Culture of College: The Story of Two Mexican Heritage

         Students.” Hispanic Journal of BehavioralSciences 26.2 (May 2004): 152-169. Academic Search   Elite (Ebsco). Web.    

         7  February 2009.

         Cabera and Padilla discuss the academic resilience of two Stanford Latino students using

in-depth interviews. Intended for an academic audience from both higher education and social work, the article provides insight into the common struggles faced by many first-time college students who rely on emotional support of families and academic support from faculty and staff at institutions of higher education. Cabera and Padilla evaluate various services available to students at crucial points in a college career and the strategies that assist in the efforts for academic success. The authors argue that without intervention many first-time college students, regardless of race or gender, would fail to be successful. Furthermore, those students must adopt an expanded sense of self in order to see themselves as successful in a college setting.

            Cabera and Padilla’s study illuminates Sherman Alexie’s central argument, that students who are economically disadvantaged and from a culture other than the dominant culture must redefine themselves in order to succeed, in Diary. Although the students highlighted in the study receive support from friends and family within their identified cultural context, they are forced to redefine themselves as members of the dominant culture associated with their institution. Junior, while maintaining his identity on the reservation, adopts an expanded version of self when he enters Reardon. Thus, the crux of the story focuses on Junior’s ability to reconcile his two selves.