Cather emphasizes Ántonia’s kinship with the earth—“Her neck came up strongly out of her shoulders, like the bole of a tree out of the turf”—in strong, masculine, unfeminine language. Ántonia’s desire to prove to her mother that she can work as well as Ambrosch leads her to compete with the men in plowing and to pick up masculine traits that overshadow her femininity. Only Grandfather Burden is not worried that hard work will permanently harm Ántonia.
The skirmish between Jake and Ambrosch, as well as the resulting tension between the two families, bring out some new character revelations. Although Ántonia has been portrayed in a positive way, thus far, we now see her with her mother, running toward the two men, plunging through the water without even lifting her skirts, “screaming and clawing the air.” Ántonia now has such a strong sense of family bonding that, despite Ambrosch’s shortcomings, she is fiercely loyal to him. We wonder if she would have reacted like a wild animal if Mr. Shimerda were still alive. Another revelation occurs when Mrs. Shimerda, normally vindictive and greedy, is uncharacteristically emotional and effusively grateful—kissing Grandfather’s hand when he tells her she doesn’t owe any more money on the cow and giving Jake a pair of socks she’s knitted. It is difficult, however, for Mrs. Shimerda to resist making a final verbal jab about the fight, and Jake, in spite of his quick temper, allows her the last word.
