在1920年代被公認為傑出女性作家，維拉 • 凱瑟被視為深愛內布拉斯加州的作家，她同時也被視為被能攫取美國西進運動精髓的代表性作家。在凱瑟的作品中，她不斷的顯示出她對西部的懷舊。為了記錄她對美西草原的夢想，凱瑟創造了許多生動的角色。在1918年出版的我的安東妮亞，被視為凱瑟的代表作，同時，也被公認為是一部建立了凱瑟對時代懷舊的重要作品。
　　本論文的重點在於身為一個波西米亞裔的移民，安東妮亞如何經由美國化的程序，去適應她在美國的新生活。在當時，美國的社會充滿了「本國主義」的氣氛，在整部小說中，安東妮亞面臨了來自美國本地居民不同程度的壓迫。在本論文的緒論當中，將會簡單的介紹美國西進運動的歷史背景和「美國化」的觀念。同時，根據先前的研究顯示，有關新進運動的開拓者，都被視為是一個男性的領域。然而，實際上女性在西進運動中，也扮演了十分重要的角色。
　　在本論文的第一章中，焦點在於當安東妮亞抵達內布拉斯加草原時，她多重的角色特性。在草原，安東妮亞面臨了生存的考驗。為了要適應當地的生活，安東妮亞接受了她的鄰居的幫助，開始學習英語。但是，面對於強勢的當地居民，安東妮亞的反抗在書中處處可見。本章同時也刻畫了安東妮亞在語言上的獲得的獨立，並且顯現出了她在草原上的成長。
　　第二章將更進一步探討安東妮亞在離開草原，到黑鷹鎮上工作的成長。相對於草原，黑鷹鎮是一個文明較高度發展的社會。藉由和其他雇工女孩的比較，本章將安東妮亞成長的焦點延伸到黑鷹鎮上去並且探討她如何去適應如此多元文化的社會。
　　第三章深入的探討安東妮亞在離開黑鷹鎮上的轉變。一開始，安東妮亞幾乎從小說中消失，而她的消失顯露出黑鷹鎮對她的放逐。然而，安東妮亞再度出現在小說中，並且展現了她的生命力。本章將探究安東妮亞個人的成就還有在她美國化的過程中，和保持她的個人特色。
　　最後，在結論當中，將探究維拉 • 凱瑟和這本小說的關係。再寫下安東妮亞故事的當中，凱瑟同時也填滿的內布拉斯加州空白的那一頁。在凱瑟之前，內布拉斯加州在文學作品中可說是鮮少被提及。同時，在早前的文學裡，開拓者的故事通常被視為男性作品的領域。然而，凱瑟創造出了一個女性的角色去歌頌她的成長。當安東妮亞歌頌自我成長時，凱瑟同時也宣達了她自己的成就。在當時，凱瑟創造出了屬於她個人獨特開拓女性的故事。

　　As a prominent writer in 1920s, Willa Cather is regarded as the loving painter of the Nebraskan writer. Also, she is the representative author whose writing captured the age of American westward movement. In Cather’s work, she always shows her nostalgia toward the West. To record her ideal of the prairie, Cather created a vivid picture about life on the prairie. My Ántonia, which is published in 1918, is Cather’s representative works and has been recognized for its importance in establishing Cather’s nostalgia toward that time in which she lived.
　　The purpose of this thesis is how Ántonia, as an immigrant girl from Bohemia, adapts to her life in the American through the process of Americanization. At that time, the American society is full of the atmosphere of Nativism. In the whole novel, Ántonia faces different oppression from the native-born inhabitants. The Introduction of this thesis will briefly introduce the historical background of the American westward movement and the concept of Americanization. Also, according to the previous search of American westward movement, the pioneer work has been seemed as a masculine area. However, the female immigrants play an important role in the history of American westward movement.
　　Chapter One of this thesis focuses on Ántonia’s multiple characteristics when she arrives at the Nebraskan prairie. In this chapter, Ántonia faces the challenge to adapt to the strange land. In order to survive in the U. S., Ántonia accepts to the arrangement of her neighbor and begins to learn English. This chapter attempts to illustrate Ántonia’s independence with language and shows her gradual development on the new land.
　　Chapter Two will show Ántonia’s development in Black Hawk Town after she has moved there from the rural prairie. In the novel, Black Hawk represents a higher class and more civilized society than that of the prairie. By contrasting Ántonia’s encounters with the other hired girls, this chapter will extends the focus onto Ántonia’s development in Black Hawk and how she situates herself in this multicultural society.
　　Chapter Three attempts to explore Ántonia’s transformation after she leaves the Black Hawk. At first, Ántonia has disappeared from the novel. Her disappearance symbolizes that she is banished by Black Hawk. Then, Ántonia reappears and show her vitality. This chapter also demonstrates Ántonia’s self-fulfillment and how she fulfills her Americanization and maintains her personal identity.
　　Finally, the concluding chapter looks at the relationship of Willa Cather and this novel. By writing down Ántonia’s story, Cather also marks a blank page of Nebraskan prairie. Before Cather, Nebraska is a place where has been seldom mentioned by the writers. Also, the works which immigrants have done is regarded as masculine enterprise on the pioneer literary words. However, Willa Cather creates a heroic to celebrate her development. In the novel, while Ántonia celebrates her successfully story, Cather also demonstrates her achievement. In her period, Willa Cather creates her distinctive Nebraskan pioneer women’s story.

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