Personality Quiz - Erica and Alicia

[Mrs. Patterson]

Erica: Antonia
Alicia: Lena

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

Lena's relationship with Jim while she, Jim, and Antonia were teenagers living in Black Hawk

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

[Erica]

As teenagers living in Black Hawk, Lena cultivates a risky relationship with Jim. Antonia finds Lena inept to be in a relationship with Jim and disapproves of any kind of interaction between them that shows a sign of mutual affection. Lena is viewed as a flirtatious, dainty, and because of her interaction with the opposite gender, tawdry young girl. Many of the folks in Black Hawk thought that she would not amount to much success in her life because of her playful, carefree nature. Antonia thought that Jim deserved a real women in his life, one who worked hard and was independent. In chapter twelve of book two, The Hired Girls, Jim talks to Antonia about Lena: “Lena Lingard lets me kiss her . . .” “Lena does?” Tony gasped. “If she’s up to any of her nonsense with you, I’ll scratch her eyes out!” (Cather 97). Antonia looks down upon Lena and Jim’s relationship when they are teenagers in Black Hawk because she finds Lena to be the wrong type of girl for him.

[Alicia]

Lena maintains an almost indifferent attitude about her relationship with Jim. However, she is never manipulative. When both Jim and her landlord are in love with her at the same time it does not bother her but it also does not seem as though she wanted it either way. It is hard to tell if Lena really even had legitimate feelings for Jim. Her reaction to his departure is especially confusing, she does not try to stop him and doesn't really seem to even be affected by his leaving. However, even though her feelings towards Jim are unclear, it is clear that she never wanted any type of serious commitment. Lena makes her opinions about marriage clear saying, "Men are all right for friends, but as soon as you marry them they turn into cranky old fathers, even the wild ones. They begin to tell you what's sensible and what's foolish, and want you to stick at home all the time. I prefer to be foolish when I feel like it, and be accountable to nobody." Lena did not wish to marry Jim or anyone for that matter. Even though Lena may have not been very committed to her relationship with Jim, she had a key role of developing his character. Lena marks his growth from a child to a young man. Jim's sexual desires of Lena show him leaving his childhood behind and growing up.