My Antonia: The Role of Women
My Antonia: The Role of Women
My Antonia, by Willa Cather provides a strong feminist statement in the way women are portrayed throughout the novel. Cather takes a bold step in literature, reversing the limited stereotype of women, by giving them strong and independent roles in the story.
Lena is able to start her own business, which is rare at that time. Several other women show their acumen in business, like Tiny Soderball, Frances Hurling, and Mrs. Gardener. This novel questions society's norms for women and their place in the society, and, in doing so, opens up many possibilities for women to find happiness and fulfillment in life independent of men.
Cather does a very good job of representing women from every aspect. The women's role as the traditional housewife, the independent girl, the self-dependent worker, and the family's foundation. First we start with Grandmother Burden. She whole-heartedly welcomes Jim into her home, being his grandma and the only mother figure of his life, now that his mother has passed away. She bustles and hustles around the home preparing meals and doing what a grandmother does best, taking care of everyone. Now Mr. and Mrs. Shimerda were having a hard time finding food for their family and when Grandmother found out about this, she went over to their house with food. Grandmother Burden and Mrs. Shimerda played the traditional role of married women in the story, cooking and cleaning.
Things haven't changed too much in women's roles, it's more so that people are more acceptant of women and their many roles in the society. Married women are still seen as needing to be home to take care of the children, prepare the meals, keep care of the house and so on. That is why many women now do not feel the need to get married. As in My Antonia, the women who got married couldn't be successful businesswomen, except Mrs. Gardener.
Mrs. Gardener wore the pants of the relationship. "It was Mrs. Gardener who ran the business and looked after everything. Her husband stood at the desk and welcomed incoming travelers. He was a popular fellow, but no manager" (117). Her and her husband had switched the role of the male and the female in the marriage. Mrs. Gardener seemed like the typical business man, the way her mannerisms were cold, socialized little, kept rules and was constantly making sure that everything was...