Per Hansa Conflicts

“Through this heroic tale of Norwegian settlers in the plains of South Dakota there runs a double conflict, the first between man and earth and the second between man and wife. In the first struggle Per Hansa gloried: he had come for this, to wrest fruit from the earth, to found a home on the soil. The second took the heart out of him. Because of his deep love for his wife, Beret’s hatred of the new hard life and her longing after the remembered comforts of Norway were a sore trial to Per Hansa.” This is a quote about Giants In The Earth from the Atlantic Bookshelf. In summer of 1873, Per Hansa, Beret, his wife, and his three children Ole, Store Hans, and And Ongen set out west to stake a claim in now present day South Dakota. They are traveling

Later that night, Per, Tonsenten and Hans began looking over Pers’ land, they find several large odd shaped stones, and soon he realizes that there is an Indian grave site on his land. Per and the Solum boys make the trip to Souix Falls the next day to file his claim. Once Per returns from his trip he begins building a house and decides to plant potatoes which he bought while he was in Souix Falls. Per soon becomes consumed in all the work that needs to be done, the days consist of plowing the fields and building his sod house. There was no time for rest, Per was building a very large sod house. Tonseten was appalled at his undertaking, However Per is undeterred, he has decided to conserve resources and energy and build a house and barn together. After the walls for the house are up, Per makes a trip to the Souix River for ridge poles for the roof and he also brought back twelve plum trees, fish, and antelope

From the start of this story there was an eerie empty lonesome feeling, even though the Hansas were traveling as a family, there was very little conversation between Per and Beret. Per has ambitious dreams about being able to provide for his family and to be a successful farmer. Per even periodically alludes that he is building the sod house for his sons, and that they could farm the quarter section next to his. Per realizes that with time the land has the potential to provide everything that his family will need to prosper. However Beret doesn’t share the same dream as Per and she is unable to adapt to their new home. As the book progresses Berets’ homesickness and mental state keeps worsening. Per is optimistic that her condition will get better with time, and that she will come to her