Neighbour Rosicky

by

Willa Cather

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Rudolph Rosicky Character Analysis

Rudolph is Anton and Mary’s oldest son. He has recently married Polly, a woman who grew up in town and whose parents are American-born, in contrast to Rudolph’s immigrant parents. Rudolph’s perspective on life in the country contrasts with his father’s. Rudolph worries that he will not make enough money to live a secure, happy life with Polly in the country, although Rosicky works to change his son’s perspective. By the end of the story, it seems that Rudolph and Polly will remain happily in the country, just as Rosicky would have wanted.

Rudolph Rosicky Quotes in Neighbour Rosicky

The Neighbour Rosicky quotes below are all either spoken by Rudolph Rosicky or refer to Rudolph Rosicky. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Good Life Theme Icon
).
Part 3  Quotes

He often did over-time work and was well paid for it, but somehow he never saved anything. He couldn’t refuse a loan to a friend, and he was self-indulgent. He liked a good dinner, and a little went for beer, a little for tobacco, a good deal went to the girls. He often stood through an opera on Saturday nights; he could get standing-room for a dollar.

Related Characters: Anton Rosicky, Mary Rosicky, Rudolph Rosicky, Zichec
Page Number: 241-242
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 4  Quotes

Rosicky was a little anxious about this pair. He was afraid Polly would grow so discontented that Rudy would quit the farm and take a factory job in Omaha. He had worked for a winter up there, two years ago, to get money to marry on. He had done very well, and they would always take him back at the stockyards. But to Rosicky that meant the end of everything for his son. To be a landless man was to be a wage-earner, a slave, all your life; to have nothing, to be nothing.

Related Characters: Anton Rosicky, Rudolph Rosicky, Polly Rosicky
Page Number: 247
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 5  Quotes

Well, when I come to realize what I done, of course, I felt terrible. I felt better in de stomach, but very bad in de heart. I set on my bed wid dat platter on my knees, an’ it all come to me; how hard dat poor woman save to buy dat goose, and how she get some neighbour to cook it dat got more fire, an’ how she put it in my corner to keep it away from dem hungry children. Dey was a old carpet hung up to shut my corner off, an’ de children wasn’t allowed to go in dere. An’ I know she put it in my corner because she trust me more’n she did de violin boy. I can’t stand it to face her after I spoil de Christmas. So I put on my shoes and go out into de city. I tell myself I better throw myself in de river; but I guess I ain’t dat kind of a boy.

Related Characters: Anton Rosicky (speaker), Mary Rosicky, Rudolph Rosicky, Polly Rosicky, The Rosicky Children, The Lifschnitzes, Violin Player
Related Symbols: Rosicky’s Heart and Hands
Page Number: 253
Explanation and Analysis:
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Rudolph Rosicky Quotes in Neighbour Rosicky

The Neighbour Rosicky quotes below are all either spoken by Rudolph Rosicky or refer to Rudolph Rosicky. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Good Life Theme Icon
).
Part 3  Quotes

He often did over-time work and was well paid for it, but somehow he never saved anything. He couldn’t refuse a loan to a friend, and he was self-indulgent. He liked a good dinner, and a little went for beer, a little for tobacco, a good deal went to the girls. He often stood through an opera on Saturday nights; he could get standing-room for a dollar.

Related Characters: Anton Rosicky, Mary Rosicky, Rudolph Rosicky, Zichec
Page Number: 241-242
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 4  Quotes

Rosicky was a little anxious about this pair. He was afraid Polly would grow so discontented that Rudy would quit the farm and take a factory job in Omaha. He had worked for a winter up there, two years ago, to get money to marry on. He had done very well, and they would always take him back at the stockyards. But to Rosicky that meant the end of everything for his son. To be a landless man was to be a wage-earner, a slave, all your life; to have nothing, to be nothing.

Related Characters: Anton Rosicky, Rudolph Rosicky, Polly Rosicky
Page Number: 247
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 5  Quotes

Well, when I come to realize what I done, of course, I felt terrible. I felt better in de stomach, but very bad in de heart. I set on my bed wid dat platter on my knees, an’ it all come to me; how hard dat poor woman save to buy dat goose, and how she get some neighbour to cook it dat got more fire, an’ how she put it in my corner to keep it away from dem hungry children. Dey was a old carpet hung up to shut my corner off, an’ de children wasn’t allowed to go in dere. An’ I know she put it in my corner because she trust me more’n she did de violin boy. I can’t stand it to face her after I spoil de Christmas. So I put on my shoes and go out into de city. I tell myself I better throw myself in de river; but I guess I ain’t dat kind of a boy.

Related Characters: Anton Rosicky (speaker), Mary Rosicky, Rudolph Rosicky, Polly Rosicky, The Rosicky Children, The Lifschnitzes, Violin Player
Related Symbols: Rosicky’s Heart and Hands
Page Number: 253
Explanation and Analysis: