Willa Cather’s Inspiration

1. Willa Cather’s Inspiration Debby Moninger Nicole Badgley English 845 Dr. Peek

2. Where did her inspiration come from? • “Cather’s texts don’t simply mirror the ambiguities in her political, social, and cultural context; the novels encode them and encode as well Cather’s own mixed reactions to her culture.” Reynolds • She was born in a settled world and moved out of it. She spent the rest of her life trying to find a settled feeling in the unsettled places of her writing. • We find the stories of her life in the pages of her books.

3. Red Cloud, Nebraska • The small town of Red Cloud is really the small town model for most of the towns in her writing. • This includes Sweetwater, and many other examples.

4. Song of the Lark • Based on the story of Olive Fremstad (as Isolde),who became Thea Kronsburg • Her grandmother’s room in the passageway was describe in Song of the Lark as Thea Kronborg’s room as well as the room for “Old Mrs. Harris”

5. My Antonia • Antonia herself was modeled after the real woman Annie Pavelka. Pavelka worked for some of Cather’s neighbors and had to overcome many hardships. She came from Bohemia in 1880 and was one of 5 children living in a dugout. • H.L. Menken called this an immortal story. • Isabelle McClum’s marriage (after her father the judge dies) prompted Cather into writing this piece.

6. One of Ours • The main character of this novel, Claude Wheeler, was modeled after Cather’s cousin who died in the Great War. • G.P. Cather • Based on the letters G.P. Cather wrote home to his mother from the battlefield.

7. The Professor’s House • The character of Godfrey Saint Peter was definitely modeled after Cather’s feelings at that time. • Cather said, “In 1922, the world broke in two and I belong with the former half.” She went into seclusion after Isabelle McClung and her husband moved to Europe and wrote through her grief trying to find her place in the world.

8. More Professor’s House • Cather believed that “youth was the power of creativity” and at 52 she felt like her life might be over. She had a lost love - like Godfrey- and needed a fresh breath so she heads to the southwest with a new acceptance of death.

9. Death Comes for the Archbishop • Saint Genevieve was a model in Archbishop • Archbishop LaTour was modeled after a French priest named Lamine who really did build a cathedral in the Arizona region.

10. More Archbishop • The character of Padre Martinez was taken directly from a famous Mexican priest of the time period. However, Cather changed him from a hero to one of ill-repute.

11. More Archbishop • Kit Carson was a real man whom Cather pulled into the story to add credibility to her work and that period of time.

12. “Old Mrs. Harris” • Mrs. Templeton was fashioned after Cather’s own mother Virginia Cather. Her mother tended to aid the unfortunate and deprived (especially the Maude children) • Grandma Boak’s room is described as Old Mrs. Harris’ room • That same room seems to be repeated in Song of the Lark in Thea Kronborg’s room

13. More from “Old Mrs. Harris” • Cather’s grandmother slept in the passageway of their home. Her grandmother allowed her mother, Virginia, to remain the southern belle

14. “Two Friends” • The separation between Isabelle McClum and Cather seems to be reflected in this short story.

15. Sapphira and the Slave Girl • Cather goes back to her first memories from childhood in Virginia and tries to remember through her characters.

16. Works Cited • 7 September 2005.