My Antonia: Final Thoughts

My Antonia was the last book that I read for the summer reading. I thought it was an excellent novel. It is full of compassion and it is kind of sad. Throughout the novel Jim and Antonia lose many friends and family members, but they manage to always be there for each other.

I would recommend this novel for teenagers and adults. I think teenagers could learn a lot from it. They can learn that friendships are very important. Jim and Antonia show this to us. Also, keeping in touch with someone can be very rewarding because then you will not lose a friend that you loved so much.

Besides friendships, family was also very important in this novel. Antonia is very connected to her family. When her father commits suicide, Antonia and the rest of her family are completely devastated. They mourn for a very long time. Antonia still mourns for her father even when she is a lot older. I can not relate to her experience because I have not lost my parents or my grandparents. I have lost my grandma and grandpa on my mom's side of the family, but they died before I was born or when I was very little. I do sometimes think what they were like though, and I wish I could have known them better.

Jim and Antonia are very easy to relate to. I can especially relate to them in their teenage years (umm probably because I AM a teenager...).

I love how the novel took us through Jim and Antonia's whole friendship. It took us through their very happy and very sad parts. There was a time when the reader thinks that Jim and Antonia may become more then friends, but it never happens. I am actually glad they never became more then friends because then the novel shows people that a man and a woman can be great friends but nothing more.

All in all, I thought My Antonia was a terrific book.