My Ántonia Summary

A prosperous lawyer based in New York City shares a memoir of his rustic Nebraska childhood, the central theme of which is his bond with a girl named Ántonia Shimerda, an immigrant from Bohemia. They meet during Jim's journey west to live with his grandparents, following the death of his parents. The Shimerdas are settling in as farmers on an adjacent farm, and Jim quickly befriends the children, particularly Ántonia, who is around his same age and eager to learn English. However, their bond is tested after the sudden suicide of Mr. Shimerda which plunges the family into a profound despair.

A few years later, Jim's family moves into town, and soon after, Ántonia takes up a job as a housekeeper with a local family, the Harlings. This move rekindles their friendship as they start to spend more time together again, particularly after a dance hall opens up in town. Jim's high school days end, and he is admitted to the university in Lincoln. He excels in his academic pursuits but also becomes infatuated with Lena Lingard, a mutual acquaintance. Meanwhile, Ántonia becomes engaged to a local boy and relocates to Denver to be with him, but he abandons her on the eve of their wedding. She returns to Nebraska, heartbroken and pregnant, and despite the disapproval of her family, decides to keep the baby and continues to work on the farm with her brother.

Two decades pass before Jim visits Ántonia again. During this time, he has established himself as a renowned lawyer in New York City, while Ántonia marries Cuzak, a man of Bohemian origin, and they have many children. Jim's visit to the Cuzak farm is filled with joy, laughter, and reminiscing. As he prepares to return to New York, he walks along the outskirts of the town, near the path that leads to his childhood home. Feeling a sense of completion, he reflects on his past with Ántonia and the richness it has added to his life. He decides to maintain a closer relationship with the Cuzak family in the future.