My Ántonia is a portrait of a life well lived that begins in early childhood and moves all the way through adulthoodwith all the foibles and mishaps in between. What a beautiful, lovely, rambling narrative of the old West! Life in the early settlements was so difficult. There were many dangers known and unknown, such as snakes and wild animals, devastatingly cold and brutal winters, loneliness, depression, accidents and amputationsmany times without the aid of hospitals, doctors or medicines! Throw into that mix a brand new country with a language you dont understand and you have the makings of some pretty desperate circumstances! I loved when the narrator talked of reading Swiss Family Robinson, or Robinson Crusoe, and complaining that they were very dull compared to his real life experiences! Regardless of the harsh circumstances, however, the focus truly remains on the joys of life and the wonder of the experiences of childhood. We see what it means to be a true friend and neighbor. We feel the power of forgiveness. We explore the beauty of the land through each season as the world turns. We enjoy the simple pleasures of life. The simplicity of this novel is refreshing, yet the meaning is complex and all-encompassing. Life passes us by, with all its ups and downs laid out before us, and while the narrative is simple and naïve, we are swept away in its beauty and grandeur.
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