My Antonia

My first path on the journey brought me into the pioneer world of Willa Cather. Lauded as Cather’s masterpiece, My Antonia is a very readable and poignant novel. It does not possess a frenzied, complex plot, nor is it a treatise on philosophy or the complexities of man. It is a very simply written and beautifully told story of one man’s acquaintance with a Bohemian woman, Antonia Shimerda. The book ultimately spans several decades, and the ending gives the reader a satisfying glimpse of a life well-lived. Jim, the narrator and protagonist, and his Antonia journey through a geographical move, deep personal loss, physical hardship, the kindness and deception of others, the joys and disappointments of youth and adulthood, and the fortitude that one is forced to develop as a result of living through these trials. There is a Latin phrase that Cather includes on the frontispiece, as well as includes in the novel, during Jim’s scholastic studies. Optima dies…prima fugit. “The best days are the first to flee.” This is definitely a sentiment that Cather weaves skilfully through her tale, based on her own experiences growing up in mid-1800’s Nebraska, also the setting for the novel. I’m not sure if the phrase is meaningful enough or pertinent enough to qualify as one of my tattoo choices, but it is definitely something that will stick with me, and reflect on from time to time.