Search For The Felicitous Space—A Spatial Study Of My ántonia

Critics have probed into Willa Cather’s My ántonia from multifarious perspectives, varying from feminist study, ecological study to cultural study. But few scholars have conducted comprehensive studies on My ántonia in the light of spatial theories. Hence, this thesis paper tries to explore My ántonia from the spatial perspective.With the aid of Lefebvre’s theory of production of space, Foucault’s ideas of power and space, and Bachelard’s philosophical thoughts regarding the felicitous space, this thesis paper explores and reveals two different categories of spaces embodied in My ántonia: the social space filled with dynamic tensions, and the felicitous space offering spiritual salvation.The social space underlying Cather’s depiction of the Prairie and the settled frontier towns is no meaningless void. On the contrary, tensions are produced as a result of the functioning of multiple forces between the foreigners and the natives, the hired girls and the townspeople, as well as the frontier value and the commercial value. Specifically, the disciplinary mechanism of power prevails on the prairie and the town of Black Hawk. People are under constant surveillance as power has penetrated into every detail of their daily life. In enclosed spaces such as the Harlings’ house and the Cutters’ house, the penetration of power becomes particularly overt. As a result, the dynamic yet hostile social space causes spiritual wounds upon the characters. Nevertheless, in the house of the Burdens and the house of the Cuzaks, memory and dream are cherished and protected. Living in harmony with the universe, the protagonists are able to heal themselves and lead a more promising life.Thus this thesis paper concludes that the dynamic social space produces tensions and brings forth spiritual wounds upon the characters, while it is in the felicitous space that these characters are able to achieve spiritual salvation.