My Ántonia · Character
The Shimerdas
Bohemian immigrants who arrive on the Nebraska prairie with almost nothing, becoming the Burdens' neighbors and the center of Ántonia's story.
supporting
Also known as Shimerdas
First appearance: ii
As a supporting figure in My Ántonia, The Shimerdas is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
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The Shimerdas are a displaced family whose pride, poverty, and stubborn endurance set them apart on the prairie. Mr. Shimerda's homesickness and Mrs. Shimerda's grasping practicality pull the household in different…
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See The Shimerdas in iiCharacter Web
29 connectionsA slice of how The Shimerdas sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Central characters and family
- Protagonist
+24 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Jim’s solitary reading of Virgil’s *Georgics* marks the emotional and psychological peak because it crystalliz…
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