“THE FATHER”

By: Bjornstjerne Bjornson

Buletic │ Hermias

Bjornstjerne Bjornson

Born 8 December 1832Kvikne, Norway

Died 26 April 1910 (aged 77)Paris, France

Occupation Poet, novelist, playwright, lyricist

Nationality Norwegian

Notable award(s) Nobel Prize in Literature

1903

•was the son of a Norwegian pastor

•was a Norwegian writer and the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate.

•is considered as one of The Four Greats Norwegian writers; the others being Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie, and Alexander Kielland.

Bjornstjerne Bjornson

Summary

The Short Story Father is about a man who was the wealthiest and most influential person in his parish. A peasant, Thord Overaas, visits his priest four times.

The first time he asks that his son, Finn, be baptized by himself. Sixteen years later Thord pays the priest ten dollars, for Finn to stand first for communion.

Summary

Third when Thord requested that the banns may be published for his son when he is about to marry Karen Storliden, daughter of Gudmund, the riches girl in parish. Thord pays the priest three dollars.

Soon the father and son were rowing across the lake, to Storliden to make arrangements for the wedding.

Summary

His son stood up to straighten the seat in which he was sitting but suddenly the board slipped under him and fell.

Thord visits the priest for the last time but not for his pleasures now. Thord has sold his farm, and presents half of its price to be given to the poor. 

Characters

•Thord Overaas -the father of Finn

•Finn Overaas -the son of Thord

•The priest

Settings and Theme

•Setting-Lake, where Finn Overaas died

•Theme-Life is short, learn to value your life

and the lives of the people around you.

•Point of View-Detached Omniscient

•Conflict-Man vs. Himself

Conflict and Point of view

•Characteristics of the Father Before the death of Finn: -Proud

-Arrogant -Fearless

•Characteristics of the Father after the death of Finn -Humble

-Kind

Epiphany (Thord)

Analysis

•Who is the Father? Thord? Finn? Priest?- Thord is the father in the story who

shows fatherly love to his son Finn.

•Why Thord’s son was named Finn?-Thord named his son Finn, it wasn’t only because that was his father’s name, but

because it foreshadowed Finn’s death. Finn died from drowning in a lake, and fish swim in lakes as well as they have “fins”.

Analysis

•What do you mean by the following passage spoken by the priest?

“God grant that the child may become a blessing to you!”

-In saying this the priest shrewdly implied to the father that his child is a piece of good fortune for him and his future. Also, that the child will teach him something of great importance within the

time they have allotted together.

Analysis

“I think at last your son has brought you a true blessing.”

-It says that because of his sons death, the man learned to love his son, and learned to value how short life may be. As well as he learned to value others lives as well as his own.

Quotable quotes…

4 years: My Daddy can do anything! 7 years: My Dad knows a lot…a whole lot. 8 years: My father does not know quite everything. 12 years: Oh well, naturally Father does not know that either. 14 years: Oh, Father? He is hopelessly old-

fashioned. 21 years: Oh, that man-he is out of date!

Quotable quotes…

25 years: He knows a little bit about it, but not much. 30 years: I must find out what Dad thinks about it. 35 years: Before we decide, we will get Dad's idea first. 50 years: What would Dad have thought about that? 60 years: My Dad knew literally everything! 65 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more

Thank you!

Prepared by: Justin Leah B. Buletic & Stella Amor P. Hermias