Mr. Shimerdas Suicide in Willa Cathers My Antonia Essay -- My Antoni

Mr. Shimerdas Suicide in Willa Cathers My AntoniaMy Antonia, by Willa Cather, is a novel ab come out Jim Burden and his relationship and experiences increase up with Antonia Shimerda in Nebraska. Throughout the book Jim reflects on his memories of Nebraska and the Shimerda family, lots times in a sad and depressing tone. One of the master(prenominal) ways Cather is able to provoke these sad emotions within the reader is by essence of the self-annihilation of Antonias father, Mr. Shimerda. His death was unexpected by everyone and it is thought that home platesickness is what group him to take his own vivification. Homesickness was surely felt by Mr. Shimerda, as it was by adult maley, but it was the failure to adequately find a way to fork up for his family that sent Mr. Shimerda into a depressing downward spiral that left him no foreseeable alternative but to take his own life.The first descriptions of Mr. Shimerda are that of a successful businessman that had always prov ided well for his family. I sight how white and well-shaped his own detention were. They looked calm, somehow, and skilled. His eyes were melancholy, and were set back dark under his brow. His face was ruggedly formed, but it looked like ashes like something from which every last(predicate) the warmth and light had dried out. Everything about this old man was in keeping with his dignified manner (24)Mr. Shimerda was indeed a prosperous man in Bohemia, but had made his living in the business world, non by running a farm to provide for his familys needs. His hands show that he rarely performed hard manual labor, but that he did work hard with his hands to weave. His face however shows signs that he was already having doubts about the welfare of his family and their survival. The apparent glow that he must incur once had was now replaced by the look of heavy thoughts. This came from the burden of providing for his family by way of very unfamiliar and difficult means. He had alrea dy deep in thought(p) a great deal of money in the familys traveling expenses and overpaid for their property. They paid way too much for the land and for the oxen, horses and cookstove (22). Mr. Shimerda must not give birth thought that he would charter to support his family by means of plowing fields for food and actually ramp uping a home from materials gathered from the earth. He was a businessman and made a life for his family in Bohemia by working. He was a weaver by address had been a skil... ...tely the Shimerdas were the only Bohemian family for miles. Something as tragic as his self-annihilation would surely bring at least some compassion from soul in the community towards his family. Mr. Shimerda had run out of options to choose from and decided that he could do nothing more and finally gave up. And of course it was not until his suicide that neighbors, such as the postmaster and the father of the German family, did finally come out of the woodwork, most likely o ut of shame for not doing anything about a known family in need. The news of what had happened over there had somehow got overseas through the snow-blocked country (88). And that spring, neighbors helped build a new home for the family and helped stand the farm working. The Shimerdas were in their new log house by then. The neighbors had helped them build it in March (95). Mr. Shimerdas suicide ultimately was a find out factor with getting the help he needed for his familys survival. This could have been something he thought about when he took his own life. Regardless, if it were not for his inability to provide an adequate life for his family in the new country, Mr. Shimerda never would have committed suicide.