Who Lena Lingard is
Lena Lingard first appears as a graceful Norwegian girl who tends cattle in the country before coming to Black Hawk. She joins the hired girls, whose work supports their families even as respectable townspeople look down on them.
What Lena Lingard wants
Lena wants independence, and she has no wish to marry. When she establishes a dressmaking business in Lincoln, her work gives that wish a practical shape. Her choices offer a different path from the rooted life of the farm.
Lena Lingard and the others in the story
Jim Burden knows Lena among the country girls whose company interests him more than that of the town girls. Later, in Lincoln, they spend time together and go to the theater. Through their visits, Jim encounters both Lena's independent city life and the power of art to move people.
Questions
Who is Lena Lingard in My Ántonia?
Lena is a Norwegian farm girl who moves to Black Hawk and later runs a dressmaking business in Lincoln.
Does Lena Lingard want to marry?
No, Lena values her independence and does not want to marry.
How does Lena Lingard know Jim Burden?
Jim knows Lena from the country and town life around Black Hawk. They spend time together again in Lincoln, where they attend the theater.