Book II: The Hired Girls
As Jim's grandparents age, the Burdens move to the city of Black Hawk to escape the hardships of the farm and country life. The Burdens make an arrangement to bring Antonia to Black Hawk as hired help of the Harlings, who live next door. This arrangements allows Antonia to escape the hardship on the farm, the lowly expectations of her family, and to develop skills in housework. These chapters are filled with happiness and comfort and the reader can experience the relationship between Jim and Antonia.
- My Antonia focuses on the right thing to do. Antonia does what the Burdens feel is proper and right. How would the voice of these chapters change if Antonia were writing the novel instead and instead of Jim? It is also a novel where numerous characters appear and disappear. In the midst of chapters of contentment, how do the appearance and disappearance of characters ling to the characters joy and grief?
Lena Lingard, the beautiful daughter of Norwegian immigrants, moves from the country to Black Hawk and visits Antonia and the Harlings. Lena has been hired to assist in dressmaking. Many Stories surround Lena concerning her immoral and promiscuous nature. These chapters of MA are the climax of joy: dancing, music, parties, stories of visitors all inhabit their lives.
- What does Lena's character resemble or signify? How do the entry and disappearance of characters of joy affect the mood of the novel? Use rhetorical analysis to indicate what the mood is and the use of a disappearing character. What might characters such as Samson symbolize? Does any gloom exist among the gaiety of Black Hawk?
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