My Antonia Theme Of Independence

The Independent Women of My Antonia

In the words of entrepreneur Brandi Harvey, “You are enough, without anyone else’s stamp, without anyone else’s validation or approval.” In this quote, she validates the fact that people, women in particular, do not need somebody to tell them they are sufficient enough— a woman does not need a man to provide for her needs, make her happy, or make her feel good about herself. It shows that women who lose their independence often lose their dreams as well. This idea centers all throughout the book, “My Antonia” by Willa Cather. In this book, the author focuses on the life of a young man named Jim and the many diverse women that surrounds him all from he was a small boy to a grown man. The idea of independence

The best example is Lena Lingard, an immigrant worker who aspires to become a designer. As she says so herself, “‘ For Mrs. Thomas, the dressmaker. She is going to teach me to sew. She says I have quite a knack. I’m through with the farm. There ain’t any end to the work on a farm, and always so much trouble happens. I’m going to be a dressmaker’” (Book II, Part IV). In this passage, one sees her making her aspirations clear— she wants to become a dressmaker, and she does this so by accepting a job at Mrs. Thomas who in return will teach her how to sew. This shows independence as she is not afraid to chase her dreams unlike the stereotypical 19th century woman who would marry, have a family, and never have the will to follow their dreams. Her path to independence does not stop there as she states that, “‘...I don’t want a husband. Men are all right for friends, but as soon as you marry them they turn to cranky old fathers, even the wild ones. They begin to tell you what’s sensible and what’s foolish, and want you to stick as home all the time. I prefer to be foolish when I feel like it, and be accountable to nobody’” (Book III, Part IV). In this passage, Lena thoroughly explains why she does not want to marry which reflects her independence even more. Here, she states that she does not want to be told what to do and what not to, showing her desire for free will. She also states that she does not want to be accountable to anybody which does not show loneliness, but shows her individualistic capacity, making her a strong and independent female character in the book. As the book progressed, Lena progressed and her independent nature became fruitful as Jim entails, “...Lena Lingard, for whom people had always foretold trouble, was now the leading dressmaker of Lincoln, much respected in Black Hawk… she kept her head for her business and had got on in the world” (Book IV, Part