Hannah Stevens

American Literature
Dr. Helstern
Essay #1
3/5/13
My Antonia: Elements of a Feminist Novel
______________________________________________________________________________

My Antonia by Willa Cather is a novel full of strong female characters, and male
characters that have a tendency to either follow the female characters lead, like Jim who is at
Antonias beck and call, or fade into the background, like most of the men in Antonias family.
Throughout the novella, Antonia strays away from societal norms that surround working class
immigrant families, and states multiple times that she does not care that she embodies the outcast
of the other women around her. Antonia is also the protagonist of her story, the one who is most
identifiable and the one who society is pinned against, making My Antonia, a feminist novel, in
which feminist critics would orbit around.
Antonia Shimerda embodies and is a representation to other characters of her ability to be
the strong, brave, woman that she is and the leader she grows to be. In examining the femininity
of the novel, looking at the main male characters, proves its importance initially with Jim, our
best friend character, and narrator to Antonias story. Jim is an important boy and growing man to
our story, but most of what he says and does revolves around his growing love and fondness of
Antonia. Antonia is a leader in this novel, despite her low class status, and leading Jim through
the pages of her life proves its importance. Throughout their childhood, Jim takes his cues from
Antonia, and owes a lot of his ability to mature to the things that she leads him to. When Jim has
to save himself from the snake Antonia tells him I never knew you was so brave, Jim You is
just like big mans Now we take that snake home and show everybody. Nobody aint seen in
this kawn-tree so big snake like you kill (Cather, 33). Jim grows in this scene, and he recalls

2
that he had longed for this opportunity, and had hailed it with joy (Cather, 33). Jim matures
in this moment, because of the leadership and praise of Antonia, the girl whose opinion means
the most to him, whether he knows it during this scene or not. This initial moment, in which
Antonia shows her freedom and the way that Jim would do anything for her, shows the feminism
of this novel in a way unknown to the early 20th century.
Antonia shows her free spirit in this male dominant society, when she takes a job with the
notoriously shady Wick Cutter, who is known for sexual encounters with his female maids, a job
in which Antonia has shown interest. Mrs. Harling is less than pleased with Antonias decision
and openly confessions that she wishes she never learned to love Antonia. This could be an
example against My Antonia being a feminist novel, because Mrs. Harling is so against Antonia
working for the Cutters and wishes to control what cant be controlled, but because Antonia gets
her way in the end and does what she wants, it shows the freedom this woman has and the
bravery she shows when everyone is against her, both clear signs of a feminist novel.
Next To Antonias strong role as an independent female character, the other stereotypical female
and male characters in the novel play just as strong a role in making My Antonia a feminist
novel. Mrs. Harling does not respect Antonias choices in life nor does Mr. Harling, shown in the
scene where Antonia slaps the young man who steals a kiss from her outside of the Harlings
abode. Mr. Harling tells Antonia,
This is what Ive been expecting, Antonia. Youve been going with girls who have a
reputation for being free and easy, and now youve got the same reputation. I wont have
thisthis is the end of it, tonight (Cather, 125).
When Antonia discusses taking a job with the Cutters, Mrs. Harling tells her, you cannot
come back to this house again (Cather, 126). Both Mr. and Mrs. Harling embody the

3
stereotypical roles of man and woman or mother and father, that proves to emphasize Antonias
role in the novel. She goes against the stereotypes set up for her, making this a primarily feminist
novel.
When the dance tent arrives in Black Hawk, Antonia finds her true love and desire in life,
which is to dance, [She] talked and thought of nothing but the tent (Cather, 124). This is not
quite unlike the roaring 20s in America, where woman snuck out to party with boys, as Antonia
does when she, her girlfriends and Jim, forever the tag-along, go to dance. This is frowned upon
by the other women in this society, but its what Antonia loves and shows her true feminist
personality, in doing what she wants despite the stipulates of the social norms, and the reputation
she is giving herself. Antonia is indignant in her need to be at the dance tent and nobody will stop
her, as she says I wouldnt think of it for a minute! My own father couldnt make me stop!
(Cather, 125). Antonia lives by her own rules and refuses to listen to anyone but herself.
Antonia has many masculine qualities in her personality that separate her from the
women around her. When working outdoors during one particular instance, she exclaims, Oh,
better I like to work out of doors than in a house...I not care that your grandmother say it makes
me like a man. I like to be like a man (Cather, 85). This quote shows Antonias want to be more
manly than girly, and the fact that she throws her bonnet the second she steps outside to let her
hair fly in the breeze, only emphasizes her need to be more manly. The other unwomanly trait
Antonia possesses is her dislike of children. When speaking of taking the job for Wick Cutter,
part of her reasoning is that there would be no children around. Mrs. Harling declares, I thought
you liked children. Tony, whats come over you (Cather, 126). Antonia only emphasizes her
lack of femininity with this comment and the stereotypical women around her are outraged. This
want for our main character to be manlier is another trait making this novel a feminist story.

4
Many would argue that because Jim tells Antonias story, he is the protagonist in this
novel, but Antonia is the one we learn the most about, the one who we can identify with the
most, and the one who society is pinned against. A woman is the protagonist, which is unusual
from novels and stories readers are used to, making this element in the feminist makeup of the
novel, the most striking. Jim may be the narrator of this particular story, but he narrates Antonias
life, and most of the details of events that happen to him, are surrounded with stories of Antonia.
Jim may seem like the main character, but he is not relatable to the reader and virtually
forgettable to the whole of the story. His voice is the one heard, but his actions revolve around
Antonia, the protagonist of My Antonia.
My Antonia is a novel that focuses on the life and the details of the women in the novel,
and despite the narrator being male, Antonia is the protagonist, who has her own free will and
does what she wants. Willa Cather has written a feminist novel, told through the voice of a male,
following a female who lives her own, independent life, thus pleasing feminist critics.

Bibliography

5
Cather, Willa. My Antonia. Ed. George Stade. New York, New York. 2003. 9-222. Print.