Giants in the Earth by Ole Edvart RølvaagI think this book is a very interesting story. I've never read a western before, let alone one about foreigners. Initially, I thought Per Hansa was a man of action and a born pioneer. Throughout history, he has shown optimism and great courage in the face of difficulties. To me he seems very intelligent, strong and a natural leader in his community and throughout the story he seemed to succeed in almost everything he did. As for his wife, Beret, it's a different story; unlike her husband, she cannot stand life on the prairie. She can't wait to return to the comfort of her home in Norway. However, I get the impression that she doesn't blame him for persuading her to immigrate. It seems to me that throughout the story she constantly fears the unknown and hidden threats of the wilderness. I found it very interesting that Per and Beret are not identified by name at the beginning. They were simply called “the man” and “the woman”. I don't know why, but my opinion is that this may have been done to try to tell the story of what it was like for all the immigrants arriving in America at that time. I can't imagine being lost in the wilderness with the rest of the group like the Hansa were. I don't understand how he traveled miles through the wilderness to track down the other carts without getting lost, let alone finding his way back. I could really tell how much Beret didn't like it when they met the rest of their friends. Her reaction was very different from her husband's. Per compares the grasslands to the fertile lands of Egypt, while Beret is unimpressed by the land. In fact, she is appalled by the vastness and desolation of the place. When Per meets the Indians, I see again that he is the only one in the story who can be calm and not panic. I found it very interesting that in showing kindness by healing the Indian's injured hand, he received a pony in exchange. I also notice that as the story continues to unfold, Per's wife becomes more and more unstable. The beret makes other people around her uncomfortable because of her mood swings. I'm starting to understand that she's suffering from something more than just homesickness...