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Book 1, Chapter 15
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in My Antonia, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Immigrant Experience
Friendship
The Prairie
The Past
Innocence and Maturity
Gender
Summary
Analysis
Mr. Shimerda's funeral occurs five days after his death, just as a new snow storm approaches. Nevertheless, neighbors from all over the region attend the funeral. Mrs. Shimerda asks Jim's grandfather to say a prayer, in English, at the funeral.
Despite their differences from the Shimerdas, farmers on the prairie stick together in tough times. Mrs. Shimerda's request shows she understands that her family must assimilate.
Themes
Mr. Shimerda is buried at the corner of the Shimerda's land. Jim says that years afterward, roads were built that crossed at that spot, and after all the prairie grass had been eventually cut up by farmers, the grave is the only place where the grass still grows. Jim says "in all that country it was the spot most dear to me."
