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Book 2, Chapter 2
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
Ántonia arrives at the Harlings, excited about her new job. Jim is jealous of her immediate admiration for Charley, but he is happy to see her again, and spends more time at the Harlings. But he is in awe of and intimidated by Mr. Harling, who he says dresses like "a noble" with caped overcoats and diamond rings.
With Jake and Otto gone, Mr. Harling becomes the object of Jim's fascination. He is a strong male figure who plays the role of patriarch. But he intimidates Jim because his showy macho behavior is at odds with Otto's and Jake's quiet competence.
Themes
