Reading Response
In Willa Cather’s My Antonia, the author explores the different viewpoints of settlers in the Midwest. Antonia and her immigrant family experience life out in the country much differently than Jim and his grandparents. With many people looking down on immigrants and questioning how trustworthy they may be, this shows how racism and stereotyping have been ingrained within the fabric of American history. This novel gives a realistic outlook on America, rather than the idealized features that we often like to think of. These differences ultimately lead to the questioning of the definition of happiness and how each person feels about how happiness is achieved. This embodies the ideals within America, with many believing that hard work leads to success when that is not always the case. Today, many of these ideas are still prevalent, showing that this novel has stood the test of time. My Antonia is an insightful representation of America and shows that the American Dream is more of an illusion rather than a realistic ideology, and should be required reading for college students.
Life in the Midwest is vastly different for the immigrants because their priorities are not aligned with those of the Americans. For example, while growing up, Jim was able to enjoy his childhood and be a kid while Antonia had to become an adult early on and begin to do hard labor. Jim never had to worry about whether or not he would have food for the next day or if he would survive the winter because his grandparents offered him stability. This is apparent in a conversation that Antonia has with Jim where she explains that she is not able to view the world in a romanticized way because she has to work and cannot just enjoy the labors of others like he does (Cather 1, 19). In a way, this novel gives a bit of a history lesson by explaining the difficulties that the immigrants faced. Often times, we discount the struggles of others because we are so future-oriented, so this novel spurs thinking about what people actually have to go through to gain stability and safety. The immigrants did not have the same opportunities in the Midwest because they left their homes in search of the American Dream, not understanding completely what it would actually entail. This embodies the ideas of those often coming to America, with the ideals of a white picket fence and the possibility of attaining a better life for a person and their family.
The hardships faced by Antonia and her family can be analyzed through the lens of social and economic theories. For instance, Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of “cultural capital” is relevant here. Cultural capital refers to the non-financial social assets that promote social mobility. Jim benefits from his cultural capital—his family’s stability and societal acceptance—while Antonia lacks this advantage, highlighting the structural inequalities that impede the American Dream for immigrants.
Cather shows that racism is ingrained within the American people, with many in the Midwest looking down on the immigrants even though the immigrants often work harder than them. It is important for students to remember this and to constantly keep this in mind so that there is always a movement towards progress. A reduction in racism should be a goal, and we should not discount others’ hard work just because it does not align with our personal beliefs. From early on, Jim is drilled with the idea that “they ain’t the same,” creating an us vs. them mentality, and driving a wedge between the Americans and the immigrants (Cather 1,15). With many people feeding into this mindset, it makes sense why they looked at the immigrants as untrustworthy or as cheats. Cather ties this with the gender roles of the time because, despite the hard work that Antonia and the other immigrant girls did, other women were unhappy that they did not act how young women were supposed to act at that time. In some ways, it is a double-edged sword because regardless of whether they acted like ‘young ladies’ or not, they would still be looked at differently because they were immigrants. Social issues still plague America today, so Cather’s depiction seems accurate, especially for the time period that it was written in.
This us vs. them mentality can be further examined through the theoretical framework of “othering,” a concept discussed by sociologist Edward Said in his book Orientalism. Othering is the process of perceiving or portraying someone as fundamentally different or alien. In My Antonia, immigrants are othered by the native-born Americans, which not only alienates them but also reinforces existing social hierarchies. This portrayal helps readers understand the systemic nature of racism and how it perpetuates social divisions.
Achieving happiness and success within the novel was attained in many different ways, and this is an interesting perspective for students to always keep in mind. The definition of success for each character within the novel is vastly different. For example, Tiny found success in money; however, she did not necessarily find happiness because of it. Antonia, on the other hand, was not wealthy at all, but she found happiness and success within her children. When Antonia gives birth to her first child, Ambrosch suggests that she kills the baby; however, Antonia finds happiness in this child and wants to raise her even though others would think of her negatively (Cather 4,3). Often times, we think success is connected to wealth, and this novel challenges these ideas. Happiness can be found in alternative ways and places, and a person’s decisions can affect where they find this happiness. Each person has a different idea of what their happiness is, and though it may completely differ from someone else’s ideas, it does not discount that happiness. By students reading this novel, they would be given many different perspectives of these ideas, and it would be useful in forming personal ideals and opinions.
The differing definitions of success in My Antonia can be understood through Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a psychological theory proposed by Abraham Maslow in 1943. According to Maslow, human needs range from basic physiological necessities to the need for self-actualization. Antonia’s fulfillment through her children represents the higher-level needs of love and belonging, as well as self-actualization, whereas Tiny’s wealth corresponds to lower-level, material needs. This theory helps illustrate why material wealth alone does not guarantee happiness, as true fulfillment often comes from satisfying higher-level psychological needs.
In conclusion, My Antonia by Willa Cather offers a profound exploration of the immigrant experience in America and the complex nature of the American Dream. The novel’s portrayal of the struggles and successes of its characters provides valuable insights into issues of racism, social inequality, and the subjective nature of happiness. By integrating academic theories such as Bourdieu’s cultural capital, Said’s concept of othering, and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, readers can gain a deeper understanding of the themes presented in the novel. As such, My Antonia should be considered essential reading for college students, as it encourages critical thinking about the American Dream and its implications in both historical and contemporary contexts.