1. Westward Expansion and Immigration

2. The American Dream Immigration/Exploitation
“The Lost Beautifulness”
What does this story reveal about immigrants in America? Role of Women?
Hannah’s understanding of America: “Mrs. Preston says this war is to give everybody a chance to lift up his head like a person…Democracy means that everyone in America is going to be with everybody alike” (2).

3. Paint= Symbol
Landlord- “If you can’t pay, somebody else will. I got to look out for myself. In America everybody looks out for himself” (5).
Why does Hannah destroy her work in the end?
Transcendentalism critiques/qualities?

4. Rough City Life!

5. My Antonia

6. Homestead Act 1862
Granted 160 free acres to anyone 21 years or older who promised to settle/farm it
nearly 1 million people requested homestead applications
Not all milk and honey

7. Intro: Frame Frame Provides specific context for the novel
Certain perspective revealed
Jim writing primarily to himself- not a larger audience; thus, My Antonia is in a private context. We, the readers, are intruding!!!

8. Different Introductions
What do we learn about Jim in the intro?
About Antonia?
How does Jim’s re-titling of his manuscript change the meaning?
How is the 1918 version of the intro different than the current one?
Why might Willa Cather have changed it?

9. Homework- 1-6 Note Setting
What does the setting reveal?
Nebraska
Symbolizes growth, expansion, moral fortitude, possibility…the American Dream?