These
two letters from Norwegian immigrant farmers in the late 1830s are only a small
fraction of the millions of letters
that flowed back and forth across the Atlantic to Europe, telling of the
rewards and the hardships encountered in America. Along with the Germans and
Irish, the Scandinavians were an important element in the second large wave of
immigration in the middle of the 19th century.
- Are these letters typical informal letters? If not, what makes them
different?
- To whom are the letters addressed, and how does this influence the
tone or the contents of the letters?
- Do you think these letters were intended primarily as a means of
informing the addressee – or were they designed to read a larger audience?
- What is the main purpose of each letter, what did the writer hope to
achieve?
- Would it be fair to say that Hovland ís interested in bettering the
plight of others, and that Haaeim is chiefly interested in getting help for
himself? What other factors play a role?
- With whom does Hovland associate himself?
- With whom does Haaeim associate himself?
- What aspects of life are compared in Norway and America?
- To whom does Hovland appeal to emigrate? Do you think Haaeim fitted
into this category?
- Who does Haaeim warn against emigrating to America?
- Do you think it was a good decision to settle on land that had
already been surveyed for sale and that would only be available for six years?
- What is the basis of Hovland’s dream of America?
- What is the basis of Haaeim’s nightmare of America?
- Do you think either Hovland or Haaeim, or both of them, were
distorting reality to produce a particular picture?
Discuss these questions in class. To make this
possible, it would be a good idea to appoint a chairperson first. (Make notes
of the arguments and results.)
Use your notes to write the minutes of the lesson (the main points in short sentences) as homework. Please e-mail your homework to me.