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Today:Today: Intro to Intro to My My ÁÁntonia ntonia by Willa Catherby Willa Cather

– Historical contextHistorical context– Author bioAuthor bio– Discussion: Study GuideDiscussion: Study Guide– First 30 pages and close reading groupsFirst 30 pages and close reading groups

Imagine you’re an immigrant in Imagine you’re an immigrant in the U.S. in the late 19the U.S. in the late 19thth

Century…Century…

You land in a crowded eastern city You land in a crowded eastern city where you have to share a stuffy, dirty where you have to share a stuffy, dirty

room with a dozen other people…room with a dozen other people…

In your native country, you In your native country, you never had any chance to never had any chance to

own the property you own the property you worked, which was owned worked, which was owned

by a nobleman to whom you by a nobleman to whom you had to give most of your had to give most of your

crops. crops.

One day, One day, you hear you hear the U.S. the U.S.

governmengovernment is giving t is giving away land away land to anyone to anyone who will who will farm it.farm it.

So you scrape together enough So you scrape together enough money to take your family money to take your family

west. west.

This is how you end up This is how you end up living. living.

The Homestead Act (1892)The Homestead Act (1892)“Westward Expansion”“Westward Expansion”

Partner SharePartner Share Share about a time when you faced a Share about a time when you faced a

life change, move, etc (voluntary or life change, move, etc (voluntary or involuntary). involuntary). – Did you consider the change an Did you consider the change an

“improvement” or a “downgrade”? “improvement” or a “downgrade”? – Did your perception of the change (before it Did your perception of the change (before it

happened) match the result (in retrospect)? happened) match the result (in retrospect)? – In what ways could it be viewed as positive In what ways could it be viewed as positive

AND challenging? Or exciting AND difficult?AND challenging? Or exciting AND difficult?– In what ways did you grow or learn, as a In what ways did you grow or learn, as a

result of the change? result of the change?

Willa Cather (1873-1947)Willa Cather (1873-1947) At age 9, moved with At age 9, moved with

family to Nebraska family to Nebraska from Virginiafrom Virginia

Developed interest in Developed interest in “Old World” customs “Old World” customs preserved in farmhouse preserved in farmhouse kitchens by Czech, kitchens by Czech, Swedish, Danish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, French, and Norwegian, French, and German immigrantsGerman immigrants

Had the great Had the great advantage of growing advantage of growing up with booksup with books

Willa Cather (1873-1947)Willa Cather (1873-1947)

Important friendship with the Miner family; in Important friendship with the Miner family; in their home, Cather met Annie Sadilek their home, Cather met Annie Sadilek (inspiration for Antonia)(inspiration for Antonia)

University of Nebraska; by senior year earning University of Nebraska; by senior year earning a name for herself as a writera name for herself as a writer

Became writer/editor for newspaper/magazines Became writer/editor for newspaper/magazines immediately after graduatingimmediately after graduating

““Eric Hermannson’s Soul” sold to CosmopolitanEric Hermannson’s Soul” sold to Cosmopolitan High School teacherHigh School teacher

Willa Cather (1873-1947)Willa Cather (1873-1947)

By the end of WW1, she was By the end of WW1, she was recognized as a prominent literary recognized as a prominent literary figure in Amer. Lit. figure in Amer. Lit.

By 1920s, she was a wealthy womanBy 1920s, she was a wealthy woman Won Pulitzer Prize in 1923 for novel, Won Pulitzer Prize in 1923 for novel,

One of OursOne of Ours

In Cather’s Nebraska…In Cather’s Nebraska…

Population quadrupled between the Population quadrupled between the Civil War and 1880Civil War and 1880

Doubled again in the 1880sDoubled again in the 1880s Low prices for farm products, Low prices for farm products,

compounded by drought in mid compounded by drought in mid 1890s made life difficult on the Great 1890s made life difficult on the Great Plains. Plains.

DedicationDedication

““Optima dies…prima fugit” Optima dies…prima fugit”

VirgilVirgil

““Optima dies…prima fugit” Optima dies…prima fugit”

VirgilVirgil

The best days are the first to flee.The best days are the first to flee.

““Frame story” Frame story”

The main story is introduced The main story is introduced (‘framed’) by a short narrative by a (‘framed’) by a short narrative by a different narrator.different narrator.

IntroductionIntroduction

What are some significant differences What are some significant differences between the 1918 and 1926 editions? between the 1918 and 1926 editions?

In what ways do you get different In what ways do you get different impressions of the characters, from impressions of the characters, from the different editions?the different editions?

What are your theories on why she What are your theories on why she would have changed it (think would have changed it (think historical changes).historical changes).

Study Guide: Part 1Study Guide: Part 1

On your own or with your desk On your own or with your desk partnerpartner

Keep individual answers- write in Keep individual answers- write in complete sentences.complete sentences.

USE YOUR BOOKUSE YOUR BOOK

What are you noticing?What are you noticing?

ThemesThemes CharactersCharacters Literary QualityLiterary Quality SymbolsSymbols Garden ImageryGarden Imagery Connections to WhitmanConnections to Whitman

SeasonsSeasons

What season was it, at the beginning What season was it, at the beginning of the novel? of the novel?

What season is it, in your reading What season is it, in your reading right now? right now?

Close Reading GroupsClose Reading Groups

Select a group you are ready to work Select a group you are ready to work hard with:hard with:– Group EssayGroup Essay– Group Formal PresentationGroup Formal Presentation

HomeworkHomework

Read My Antonia, Book 1, Chapters Read My Antonia, Book 1, Chapters 7-14 (30-67)7-14 (30-67)

Complete study guide through Complete study guide through Chapter 10. Chapter 10.

Collect/mark passages that illustrate Collect/mark passages that illustrate your area of expertise from the your area of expertise from the beginning of the book through Chap. beginning of the book through Chap. 14. 14.

The prairie-grass dividing, its special odor The prairie-grass dividing, its special odor breathing, breathing,

I demand of it the spiritual corresponding, I demand of it the spiritual corresponding, Demand the most copious and close companionship Demand the most copious and close companionship

of men, of men, Demand the blades to rise of words, acts, beings, Demand the blades to rise of words, acts, beings, Those of the open atmosphere, coarse, sunlit, fresh, Those of the open atmosphere, coarse, sunlit, fresh,

nutritious, nutritious, Those that go their own gait, erect, stepping with Those that go their own gait, erect, stepping with

freedom and command, leading not following, freedom and command, leading not following, Those with a never-quell’d audacity, those with Those with a never-quell’d audacity, those with

sweet and lusty flesh clear of taint, sweet and lusty flesh clear of taint, Those that look carelessly in the faces of Presidents Those that look carelessly in the faces of Presidents

and governors, as to say and governors, as to say Who are you?Who are you? Those of the earth-born passion, simple, never Those of the earth-born passion, simple, never

constrain’d, never obedient, constrain’d, never obedient, Those of inland America.Those of inland America.

-Walt Whitman-Walt Whitman