My Ántonia narrates the tale of Ántonia Shimerda, a Bohemian immigrant in the Great Plains during the 1880s, and Jim Burden, the narrator who shapes his perception of Ántonia. As Jim's memoir, the novel captures the life of a middle-aged attorney whose unsuccessful marriage leaves him feeling unloved and isolated. Reflecting on his childhood in Nebraska, Jim sees it as the most joyful period of his life, brimming with promise and optimism before the disappointments of adulthood set in. This nostalgic and romantic view casts a sentimental glow over his recollections. Ironically, even in his youth, Jim is depicted as alienated, distinct, and orphaned. Cather's choice of a male narrator is a recurring element in her work and has attracted considerable critical analysis. This may shed light on Jim's failure to make Ántonia his girlfriend or wife, despite his obvious affection for her. My Ántonia is also Willa Cather's story of children exploring both the allure and the fear of a vast new land and themselves. Although Ántonia stands out as a resilient character, she is only seen from an external perspective. Cather once confided to a friend that she intended her heroine to be "like a rare object in the middle of a table, which one may examine from all sides ... because she is the story."