My Antonia

Jim Burden

Main character and narrator of the novel.

Peter Krajiek

Bohemian immigrant who becomes a successful farmer.

Otto Fuchs

Jim's hired hand and mentor.

Mr. and Mrs. Burden

Jim's grandparents who raise him after his parents' death.

Jake Marpole

Farm hand who works with Jim on the Burden farm.

Mr. Shimerda

Bohemian immigrant and neighbor of the Burdens.

Mrs. Shimerda

Mr. Shimerda's wife.

Antonia

Daughter of the Shimerdas and Jim's close friend.

Ambrosch

Antonia's older brother.

Lena Lingard

Bohemian immigrant and friend of Jim and Antonia.

The Three Mary's

Three Bohemian immigrant girls who work with Jim and Antonia.

Cuzak and Son

Bohemian immigrant family who become neighbors and friends of Jim and Antonia.

Peter and Pavel

Two Russian immigrants with a tragic past.

Mr. Wick Cutter

Wealthy businessman in Black Hawk.

Jim's wife

Character mentioned in the introduction, but not further elaborated upon.

Perspective

The point of view from which the novel is written.

My Antonia

The possessive form of Antonia's name, indicating a personal connection.

Prairie/land

Symbolic settings that play a significant role in the story.

Town/city

Contrasting setting to the prairie, representing a different way of life.

Burden farm life

Description of Jim's life on his grandparents' farm.

Shimerda's life

Description of the struggles and challenges faced by the Shimerda family.

Rattlesnake incident

Jim's encounter with a rattlesnake, symbolizing his coming of age.

Peter and Pavel's story

Tragic tale of two Russian immigrants and its significance in the novel.

Mr. Shimerda's suicide

The death of Mr. Shimerda and its impact on Jim and the immigrant story.

Solitary plow symbol

The magnified plow symbolizes the struggles and triumphs of the pioneers.

Antonia's transformation

Changes in Antonia's character after her father's death.

Antonia's journey to Black Hawk

How Antonia ends up in the town of Black Hawk.

Reaction to the 'plow in the sun' scene

Reader's response to the symbolic scene and its significance.

Jim's dreams of Antonia and Lena

Comparison of Jim's dreams and their impact on his relationships.

Conflicting views of Lena

Different perspectives on Lena's character from various individuals.

Dances in the town

Description of the social events and their influence on the young people.

Jim's move to Harvard

Reasons behind Jim's decision to attend Harvard and his hopes for the future.

Antonia's hardships

How Antonia's life takes a difficult turn, leading to her being called 'Poor Antonia.'

Antonia's marriage and children

Details of Antonia's marital life and her role as a mother.

Themes of the novel

The main ideas and messages conveyed in the story.

Connection between settings and themes

The relationship between the different settings and the larger issues explored in the novel.

Character's relation to themes

How the characters in the novel embody and contribute to the exploration of the main themes.