Dec 22, 2009

Giants in the Earth | Characters

Giants in the Earth portrays the story of a Norwegian immigrant family's struggles on the American plains from 1873 to 1881. The novel details the triumphs, hardships, and ultimate tragedies of South Dakota farmers as they try to wrest a livelihood from a land that, while fertile, often proves actively hostile to human habitation.

In the novel Per Hansa epitomizes the immigrant spirit. Unlike his wife, Beret, whose nature is delicate, Per is built to "wrestle with fortune." For him, the westward journey from the island of Lofoten in Norway represents the ultimate...