My Ántonia: Book 2, Chapter 5

The color-coded bars in this section make it easy to track the themes throughout the work. Each color corresponds to one of the themes explained in the Themes section of this LitChart. For instance, indicates that all six themes apply to that part of the summary.

Summary Analysis Themes

Jim sees Lena often downtown. She says she is thrilled to live in town, and tells him about her friend Tiny Soderball, who works at the Boys’ Home hotel as a waitress. One afternoon in December, Jim sees Lena helping her little brother buy Christmas gifts for their family. After her brother leaves, Lena cries a little and tells Jim she still gets homesick sometimes.

Although she has embraced town life, even the fiery and independent Lena shows a nostalgia for her childhood on the prairie.