Jim Burden's Development in My Antonia

Throughout My Antonia, Willa Cather uses nature as a tool through which she can better connect the audience to the inner meanings of her writings. The setting and background are constantly being emphasized, as Cather believed it to be a vital part of the Midwest lifestyle. Two particular scenes seem to stand out because of their placement in the novel and due to what they represent. One of them is at the beginning of the …

…he is unsure of what lies within and in the next he doesn’t realize what he will miss a great deal. In both scenes mentioned, Willa Cather allows the audience to become captivated with the Nebraskan landscape. The reader is given the opportunity to enter into the pages of My Antonia to better understand what the characters are faced with. This deep embodiment only serves to heighten the reader’s enjoyment of the book.