The Hired Girls

Throughout part two, The Hired Girls, of My Antonia, there are three major themes that appear profusely. These three themes are love, friendship, and the power to conquer suffering with love and friendship. Just like the first part, the chapters seem to go up and down with love and friendship in one chapter and suffering and hardship in another. Yet each time, the conflict between Jimmy, Antonia, his family and friends, ends with love, friendship, and apologies.

When Antonia was very much wrapped up in the new dances that came to Black Hawk, her job was put on the line. She chose her friends and the dances, leaving her job and her friendship with the Harlings in pieces. Jimmy's friendship with Antonia left him with ill feelings from the Harlings. However, with time, Jimmy and Mrs. Harling's friendship was restored, and he was still friends with Antonia. He would sneak out to go to dances with Antonia and her friends, deceiving his grandparents, but he was caught. "I put my arms around her. I couldn't bear to see her cry. 'What is it, grandmother? Is it the Firemen's dances?' She nodded. 'I'm sorry I sneaked off like that. But there's nothing wrong about the dances, and I haven't done anything wrong. I like all those country girls, and I like to dance with them. That's all there is to it.' 'But it ain't right to deceive us, son, and it brings blame on us. People say you are growing up to be a bad boy, and that ain't just to us.' 'I don't care what they say about me, but if it hurts you, that settles it. I won't go to the Firemen's Hall again.' I kept my promise, of course, but I found the spring months dull enough."

As he studied during these months and was ready to graduate, his feelings for Antonia increased. She went to see his commencement ceremony and speech, and he was extremely happy that she had. "'Oh, I just sat there and wished my papa could hear you! Jim'—Antonia took hold of my coat lapels—'there was something in your speech that made me think so about my papa!' 'I thought about your papa when I wrote my speech, Tony,' I said. 'I dedicated it to him.' She threw her arms around me, and her dear face was all wet with tears. I stood watching their white dresses glimmer smaller and smaller down the sidewalk as they went away. I have had no other success that pulled at my heartstrings like that one." With the love and the friendship between the girls, Jimmy, and his family, the chapters take on a happy and blissful tone.