When recalling the female characters from My Antonia an anecdote about carrots, eggs, and coffee beans comes to mind. Each of the items on their own have good qualities however when the items are placed in boiling water they drastically changed. The carrots strong and hard become weak after being placed in the boiling water. The once fragile eggs become hard and rigid. Coffee beans however release their flavor and aroma. The coffee beans changed the least but by changing the water or their surroundings become something better.

The women in My Antonia show how they change and evolve into better women when faced with adversity. Frances Harling, Molly Garner, and Lena Lingard all change while in Black Hawk. They do not weaken or become hardened and jaded when faced with adversity; they roll with the punches and come out on top.

Frances gains a greater sense of...