Week 5: My Antonia

This week I found it difficult to get the required reading assignment in. I try to read 15 minutes everyday, but as each day passes, I always say to myself that I will just read 30 minutes the next day. Next week, I am going to try to get into the habit of reading at least 15 minutes every night before I go to bed.  However, once I pick up the book to begin reading I can not put it down. I really enjoy reading, I just need to acquire better reading habits.

This weeks reading began with the family getting ready for Christmas. Christmas was Jim's favorite holiday. However, with the immense snowball Jake was unable to go to town in order to purchase the family's presents. The family was happy and content just to be with each other and to be living a good life. The Burden family also thought that this would be a good time to make presents and to give the Shimerda family food. The Shimerda family was so thankful for the generosity of the Burden family. Later that day, Mr. Shimerda came to the Burden family's house and stayed until after dinner. While he was there he seems relaxed and content which was weird to see because he was always stressed and depressed. To me, however, if Christmas was such an important holiday to the families why would Mr. Shimerda spend it with the Burden family? In addition, why didn't he feel content and happy by just being with his own family?

The beginning of the new year brings warmer weather. The new year also Mrs. Shimerda and Antonia to visit the Burden family's house. While they were there Mrs. Shimerda pitied herself by saying that the Burden's had much more belongings than they did. Mrs. Shimerda kept on repeating that she wishes that she had that pot or that if she had as much food as the Burdens had that she would be able to make much better food. I understand that the Shimerda's had very little, but the Burden family has given them so much in order to help make their lives easier. It seems to me that Mrs. Shimerda is becoming greedy and not appreciated all that the Burden family has done.

A fierce blizzard began on Jim's birthday. The snow fell so much that it took hours and hours to dig a path to the barn. The snow created a tunnel. However, on the second day of the blizzard Jim wakes up to be informed that Mr. Shimerda is dead. However, it is unknown whether or not it was murder or suicide. There was an ax and a gun next to the body. The ax belonged to a neighbor and seemed to match the gash on Mr. Shimerda's head. If it was murder, I don't understand why anyone would want him dead... Mr. Shimerda was a nice and generous man. To me, it doesn't make logical sense. Committing suicide is one of the biggest sins that one can impose on oneself. The family was mortified that he would do this to not only himself but also to the his family.

Overall, the book is interesting and I enjoy reading it.