Immigrants In Willa Cather's My Antonia

Born Willa Cather on December 7, 1873 she spent the first nine years of her life in Back Creek, Virginia, before moving with her family to Catherton, Nebraska in April of 1883. In 1885 the family moved in Red Cloud, the town that has become synonymous with Cather's name. My Antonia is 1st person. I can say this because, Jim Burden tells the story and the events that happen. All languages change over time and vary according to place and social setting. The way we speak is influenced by many factors the roots of our elders, our social and educational background, our working environment, our friends and our own sense of identity. As we move across the country we experience the changing landscape and architecture. At the same time we notice a gradual change in the sounds we hear the accents and dialects that immediately conjure up a sense of the place to which they belong. The terms accent and dialect are often used interchangeably, although in strict linguistic terms they refer to different aspects of language variation. …show more content…
All of the hired girls in My Antonia were immigrants or their parents were. Language and culture barriers created conditions that were particularly bad for immigrants. Immigrants during WW1 had to deal with similar hardships,they left trying to escape the war, yet are pulled back into the fire in America. Cather, clearly wants to shine a light on the sacrifices which many immigrant families have made.
In My Antonia it is imagery. Willa Cather sets the mood with Jim Burden, by having him tell what happens in the