If I had to classify the characters that we have read about so far, I would say that Mrs. Shimerda is the antagonist. Even as I say this, I understand that calling her the antagonist is not an accurate depiction of her. When I look at the motivations for her actions, I see that she’s just a woman trying to take care of her family in the hopes of a better life and doesn’t have an underlying “evil” plan. Also, even though she doesn’t directly challenge our protagonist, Jim, she is an obstacle that Jim and the others must overcome to attain something- happiness. Jim, his family, their workers and the rest of the Shimerda family don’t realize this, but I find it interesting that despite all of her good intentions, Mrs. Shimerda has done more harm than good.
Mrs. Shimerda and her family are living an impoverished and difficult life in the New World and it’s not their fault that they are unequipped to deal with the hardships of farming and the extreme weather. However, it is Mrs. Shimerda’s fault that they are even in Nebraska. She convinced her husband to move from Bohemia so that their eldest son Ambrosch could become a wealthy landowner, which was not possible for them before. This is what inspired most immigrants to come to the United States and is nothing strange, but the Shimerdas, especially Mr. Shimerda, seemed to live content lives back in Bohemia around friends, their culture, and in less poverty than in their new home. Mr. Shimerda committed suicide because of homesickness; something he would not have felt had Mrs. Shimerda not insisted that they immigrate. In turn, Mr. Shimerda’s death caused further trouble and anguish for his family, and all of this unhappiness traces back to that woman.
Even outside of her home, Mrs. Shimerda is a nuisance; she is a cunning and nagging braggart who is for the most part unappreciative of all of the things the Burdens do to help her family. Mrs. Shimerda guilts Mrs. Burden into giving her an iron pot, criticizes Mrs. Burden’s cooking and insinuates that they are not giving enough, tries to cheat Mr. Burden with the cow, and attempts to trick Jim into spilling farming secrets that she’s sure that Mr. Burden is hiding from her son. I realize that these actions and her personality are basically a result of living through hardship and poor circumstances, but whenever she is present in a scene of the book, I not only find her annoying but I think that Cather has painted a more negative picture of Mrs. Shimerda because their was intent to make her the one that everyone, both the readers and some of the characters, dislike.
I am interested to find out if she will manifest herself as a truer antagonist later on in the novel or if we will see some redeeming qualities, but so far, Mrs. Shimerda is just in the way.
Laina responds in the comments!
I agree that Mrs. Shimerda is a rude an nagging nuisance throughout book one. However, I also agree that every story has two sides of it. As a reader it is much easier to simpathise with Antonia than with her mother, yet we have to remember all of the terrible things that have happened in her life as well. For instance, her husband killed himself; that's got to give your phyche quite the run for its money. (Never quite knew what that expression meant but I feel like it may fit here.) Her family uprooted itself to a new country with a different language, religion, customs, and society. Whether the decision was hers or not, the change was drastic and hard for anyone to adjust to. But that's her side of the story, that I felt as a good person I must acknowledge before I hate on her personality. She is ungrateful and selfish. Yes, she wanted her son to have a better life, but its not like she wasn't planning on living off his income. Mrs. Shimerda completely takes Antonia for granted. She is the most hard working and kind daughter any mother could want.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I was so thankful when reading about her new life in the town for the summer. The Harlings are so lucky to have her and they appreciate her. Also a good thing about book two: Mrs. Shimerda is hardly in it! So perhaps Olga is right and she'll come back later to manipulate characters or join crazy Mary and terrorize children, but for now I'm enjoying her absence!!