EXPLICATION DE TEXTE N°4 | |
|Book I – The Shimerdas - Chapter XVI |
|Mr. Shimerda's funeral |

Mr. Shimerda's death is the first turning point in the novel.

Importance of religion and Biblical references.
Chapter XIV – page 82
Chapter XV – page 84
Willa Cather has chosen this particular section of the book to emphasize the importance of religion, and religious differences, among the immigrants. The flight of Mr. Shimerda's soul becomes a primary focus here. Unable to fetch a priest, the Shimerdas are greatly concerned with the dead man's salvation. Anton Jelinek, a fellow Bohemian, shares their concern, remembering his experiences with a priest during the war, during which he saved the souls of many dying men. Through the introduction of a fellow Bohemian, we see that these people are deeply religious and superstitious. The deep sadness that hangs over them comes from the prospect that Mr. Shimerda, without the comfort of the Holy Sacrament, will not have his soul saved.
Proposition de plan :
I/ Theme of death (funeral and mourning lexical field)
( à partir des mots du texte, relever les éléments de vocabulaire qui s'apparente au deuil, les éléments spatio-temporels qui y font référence ( l'hiver, la neige).
Lay dead - coffin – digging the grave – sobbed – her heart breaking – the Widow – burial – cave – black shawl – white muslim – black cloth (note the binary oppositions black/ white) – his head bandaged (allusion to the mummy – a mummy is a corpse whose skin and organs have been preserved)
II/ Theme of religion • The priest never showed up. Refusal to allow Mr Shimerda a peaceful rest for his soul. • Tradition of the pioneers to get together in this wild country and to say prayers (long distances, isolation) • Lexical field of religion : prayed – remiss – God – thy