2. "Knut Hamsun - Photo Gallery". Nobelprize.org.29 May 2012
http://www.longitudebooks.com/find/p/64797/mcms.htm l http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1920/hamsun-photo.html.
3. Growth of the Soil
• This Nobel Prize winning novel portrays the
challenges and triumphs of living a
subsistence life in Norway’s far north.
• The novel captures Norway’s historical mode
of living that continues to shape Norwegian
identity.
• Its simplicity transcends time and place.
4. Themes
• Humans’ relationship with the land
• Communication / trust / understanding
• Ignorance / superstition / prejudice
• Natural law, as well as societal norms/laws
• Tension between rural and urban values
• The cycle of life
5. Questions to Consider While Reading
• How is it obvious that Isak is the archetype of the
honorable Norwegian man?
• What do you notice about the communication between
Isak and Inger?
– What does their communication tell us about traditional
Norwegian culture and values?
• How do you respond to the birth and death of Inger and
Isak’s third child?
– How does society respond?
• What do the contrasts between Eleseus and Sivert
demonstrate?
