Capturing the Essence

While Willa Cather may have written a somewhat slow moving text, she was able to capture certain characteristics and mannerisms found in lazy midwestern towns (by no means am I implying that the individuals were lazy, but if you were raised in the midwest, as I was, you aren't running at break-neck speeds...slow and steady wins the race, remember!) in her novel My Antonia! As I slowly read this novel, the characters, buildings, and relationships also gradually rose from the pages. I particularly loved the way she captured the speech patterns of new English speakers, such as Antonia. As I read her words, I was reminded of a good friend of mine who served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Part of her duties as a missionary was to study the English language every day. Hearing the way she constructed sentences gave me an appreciation for my language as well as hers. I hear her voice echoed in Antonia's speech.
Jim Burden reminded me a bit of Laurie from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. Kind of a lazy and rich boy who fancied those "beneath" him for whatever reason, pursued and yet failed to make anything more than a game of the pursuit. Abandoning everyone in the pursuit of his education and the seeming lackluster marriage he later made further demonstrates that he has no true passion for anything. He only pursued education as the encouragement of his idealized Antonia, only to leave her to ruin. The avoidance of her in the ensuing years shows his shame, and yet, as a survivor, Antonia still comes out on top with a hardworking husband and passel of children. She comes out conqueror through her squalor whereas Jim may have success and an easy life, but no real love in any aspect of his life.