Personality Quiz - Taylor and McKenzie

[Mrs. Patterson]

Taylor: Jim
McKenzie: Antonia

Please describe and defend your character's view on the following issue (in the first or third person, as you prefer):

Antonia's broken engagement and Antonia's unwed pregnancy

Direct support from the book would greatly strengthen your description and defense.

[McKenzie]

    Ántonia possesses a resilience that carries through every tragedy she encounters. She often battles between the formidable circumstances of the life she leads in America and the copious amount of optimism and hope that she naturally has. Despite facing cultural judgment from the people of Black Hawk, Ántonia does not let such assessments discourage her from aspirations. Her independence and self-sufficiency cause her to often take the hardest path even when a more straightforward one is available.

    Perhaps it was Ántonia’s reputation in the Black Hawk as a “hired girl” that caused her failure in marriage. As described in the book, men in the sleepy prairie “…looked forward to marrying Black Hawk girls, and living in a brand-new little house with best chairs that must not be sat upon, and hand-painted china that must not be used.” (122) The males of Black Hawk preferred to idle away time with the hired girls, attracted by their exotic backgrounds and foreign beauty. “The country girls were considered a menace to the social order. … The respect for respectability was stronger than any desire in Black Hawk youth.” (122) Ántonia’s error could also have come from not realizing Larry Donovan’s, her ex-fiancé, erroneous ways. “Ántonia often went to the dances with Larry Donovan, a passenger conductor who was a kind of professional ladies’ man...” (134) Ántonia became infatuated with Larry, only to soon realize that he did not possess any true feelings for her, and that he only stayed with her until the money ran out. The moment the money ran out was when he picked up and left. Despite this blow to her pride and optimism, Ántonia remained calm and overcame this hardship through continuing work on the Shimerda’s farm. As for her unwed pregnancy, Ántonia kept stoic for the duration of the nine months in which she carried her child. She called no one to be present for the birthing of the baby, and simply delivered her newborn without complaint. “…without calling to anybody, without a groan, she lay down on the bed and bore her child.” (190) Ántonia’s strength and general joy at simply being able to live in America carried her through the twenty-four long and arduous years that she was alive.

[Taylor]

Jim and Antonia had known each other for years. It was always thought that they would get together, but they never did. It was extremely discouraging for Jim to hear about Antonia's broken engagement and unwed pregnancy because he knew the type of person Antonia was; and more importantly, the type of person fit for Antonia. Jim knew that Larry Donovan wasn't the right person for Antonia. After Jim returned from Harvard after his two year program, he was disappointed in hearing that Antonia left everything behind and moved just to be with Larry. Seeing that Antonia was left with a child and a failed marriage shattered everything that Jim knew about Antonia. Jim knew that Antonia was too good for being an unwed, single parent and couldn't understand how that happened to her. Jim's more disappointed in the fact that Antonia was willing to leave everything she knew behind and move to Denver just to stay with Larry, and the fact that Larry left her all alone for no reason.