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Petterson chooses not to follow a chronological sequences of events, to create flashbacks for the main characters. This causes the main characters to relive their memories from the past. This also provides the reader with a first-hand account of the character's memory of a certain event from the past,  that affects their future.

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I think that in the case of Out Stealing Horses, Petterson chose to put the chapters in order of importance instead of chronological order. It was more important for the audience to understand the impacts that specific events had before they found out what caused the traumatic event in the first place. When Trond and Jon went out a stole horses, even though this occurred after Odd was killed, it was more important for the audience to understand that this event was a symbol of the end of Trond's childhood than it was to know beforehand that it was Odd's death that caused Jon to want to go steal horses.

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Since this book talks about one man from when he was young, to when he is a grown man, we can see the biggest parts of his life. We see how his perspectives, lifestyles, and values changes through his life based on the most iconic moments of his life. This proves that the meaning of not only text, but any situation that occurs in life is not necessarily fixed. The basis of belief may stay the same, but everything else could change.

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In Out Stealing Horses, while women are not completely omitted, we don't necessarily get a complete perspective from them either. While we get to see Trond's mom's reaction to Trond's dad leaving, we don't get to know all of her thoughts. Additionally, the role of women is identified with the roles of Trond's mom and Jon's mom. They are both expected to go along with whatever happens in their lives, which is especially notable when Trond's dad leaves Trond's mom for Jon's mom.

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This book and its characters consist almost entirely of Norweigian males living the typical Norweigian life. However, Jon's mom helps a Jew by hiding him in the barn during the war time. We gather from this that Jews lived in Norway before, or fled to Norway at its start.

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I know that this is going to be very repetitive, but I think that the way that events that are in the book is they way Trond(his 67 year old self) sees it. It opens up with the most important and the most pivotal thing about the summer of 1948, where he goes out stealing horses. This loss of innocence changes him entirely, and while we have a normal progression of time in 1999, the recollection of his memories from his past are what he wants to reflect on most. And while the book ends with him getting the suit, and becoming the "man of the family", it does not mean that he has placed this event at the back of his mind. This is the event where his younger self meets his older self, and starts to become the man he is.

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This book changes ideas and perspectives frequently, through all time periods. It slowly reveals more details from the past, shedding light on more and more experiences from Trond's life. Both Trond and the story grow and change, but the meaning remains fixed. The motifs of isolation, belonging, and cultural expression among others are consistent, and are emphasized through anecdotes, and the details slowly revealed to the reader. Trond as a character changes, even in 1999, but the meaning of the book remains constant and really rather sad.

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I agree with the others. Petterson chooses to write the book in order of the most important moments in the characters' lives. I also think that having the flashbacks sporadically helps the audience really picture themselves in this book. We get to see the thought process of the character as there we thinking about it. Having these flashbacks allows the audience to picture themselves with Trond and how certain parts of his current life trigger memories of the past.

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I feel that parts of the text do change over time, both in perspective and societal implications. But the themes and motifs, no matter the perspective Trond seeks, stays the same. Belonging, isolation, and familial dynamic is constant throughout the entirety of the text which allows the meaning of the text as a whole to the reader to be fixed.

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In this text, the oppressed are not necessarily given a voice. Not only do the women in the text not get to have their opinions heard/valued, but all of the characters that do get a voice are the same variety of person.
However, this does not mean that literature cannot be a voice for the oppressed.

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I agree that Petterson chose to put the chapters in order of importance rather than chronological. This also helps the audience to understand how Trond's past has affected his behavior in the present and allows us to see the parallels of his life from when Trond was 15 and 67.

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Although many of the specifics of the book has changed over time, the overall ideas and themes are still applicable to the world we live in today. Even in this time period, people struggle with identity between childhood and adulthood, or with family relationship. The overall themes about these topics given by the book can be used as an anecdote to learn from, and will probably remain that way in the future as well.

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How does the fact that most characters in the text are white Norwegian males affect the perspectives of the story? Also, what does this say about the time period in which this takes place?
-Saweyr

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Is it possible that those who can relate to Trond are those in that position? Those estranged from their families, and wanting to be alone? Can the story be a voice for those people?

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I agree that the audience doesn't get a complete perspective from women, however I do not think they are necessarily oppressed. In my opinion the story didn't follow the role of women and giving them more of a voice wouldn't necessarily progress the story.

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Does this include the hindsight we have from history, and the progression of time? We know that this was post WWII era, and could this have changed the meaning of certain characters, if we had been there at the time(Franz/ communism)?

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That's a good point, because there are immensely significant events that take place before the events of the book. I think hindsight is not only included, it is essential. The majority of the book is about reflection, and Trond's hindsight is immensely important in this regard, because he knows the effects of his actions. Then, to address time period; Within the book, there is immense change in time period. A lot happens between 1948 and 1999. One important aspect of the book is the change between these time periods, and the reflection, and the character motifs. The time period may affect how we perceive certain characters, but the core meaning of this text is fixed, because it expresses universal ideas.

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I agree that the minority groups are omitted from the text. The Jewish person hidden in the barn is the only ethnic character. I think this is also an important part of the time period, so the fact that they were omitted is very important to the story line.

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Lars' abrupt re entrance into Trond's life is what triggers the beginning of the flashbacks. He remembers what Lars did and how he found out about it. Lars is the reason he lost his friend. And after he begins to remember that summer, other things start triggering the flashbacks.
I think Petterson chose to use flashbacks in this particular way to add background behind his current (1999 Trond) thoughts and feelings. Trond states he feels a certain way, and then we get a flashback to find out why.

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Because their social interactions and life experiences are generally limited to white males around them, there is likely a clear lack of perspective in their lives. They assume that everyone has the same needs as themselves while ignoring others.

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On page 5, Trond starts to think about wanting to be lonely. He also thinks about the reflection of his life. He talks about his age and how old he is, and how the world is changing around him. So I think he would have reflected on his past life, whether or not Lars had been there to trigger the flashbacks. But I do think that Lars did trigger the flashbacks, making him think about his past earlier and more vivid than expected.

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I do not think Trond, or people like Trond are oppressed. The definition of Oppressed from the Cambridge Dictionary is, “governed in an unfair and cruel way and prevented from having opportunities and freedom”.  Trond’s issues are all self imposed, while oppressed people’s burdens are caused by an outside source. Trond chose to live in solitude. That shouldn’t undermine the issues that he has, but that does mean that he’s not oppressed. However, this text can be a voice for people like Trond; people who are introverted and long for isolation.

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Both of the time periods of Trond's life that are discussed in the book are representative of the times in which he isn't responsible for anyone. The book begins with an old man who is isolated from everything and it is because of this that he reflects on the last time in his life that he wasn't responsible to or for anyone. This is when he remembers the times that he was a young boy. The book ends when his youth is cut short by becoming the man of the family. It is because these events are so nicely juxtaposed to each other  that it isn't necessary for Petterson to follow a chronological sequence.

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"A flashback involves (as the name describes) a scene that moves from the present to the past to reveal something about a character or event within the narrative."

As it says on this website, Authors tend to not follow a chronological sequence of events, using flashbacks, to reveal something about a character or event within the narrative. This is huge for Out Stealing Horses because the flashbacks reveal everything we need to know about Trond and all the background we need to know about Lars as well.

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Literary devices is the term used for the techniques and structures writers employ to convey their message and story. When done skillfully, the use of literary devices can alter, manipulate and challenge the way a reader perceives any work. Used masterfully, literary devices influence how a story or essay can be interpreted and analysed, as well as how much the reader enjoys the work.

To find out more about other literary devices, click here.

Flashback:

A flashback involves (as the name describes) a scene that moves from the present to the past to reveal something about a character or event within the narrative. Generally in fiction, the use of a flashback constitutes using white space to separate the past from the present, to signal to the reader that there has been a change in time and/or place. In some cases, a writer may choose to use italics (usually if the scene is more of a memory snippet than an actual fully-developed scene, as lots of italicized text irritates some readers and editors).

The best flashbacks are set up by the previous paragraph. In the lead up to the flashback, there is generally a 'trigger' - something that causes the protagonist/narrator to recall a particular event or detail of the past. The trigger is explored/explained in the flashback itself which then also reveals new information to the reader.

Flashbacks are an opportunity for the author to provide insight into situations that would otherwise be left unexplained...

Used in short stories, poems, novels, plays and movies, it is one of the most common and most recognisable writing techniques, and when executed well, one of the most effective.

Examples:

The Road (film): The director has used flashbacks throughout the whole film to reveal to the viewer how in a post-apocalyptic world, a father and son came to be on the road, homeless and unprotected.

Breaking Bad (television series): This series is renowned for doing things differently, and the use of flashback here is no exception. In Breaking Bad, the flashbacks often come first and are then later explained and explored in the next few episodes, setting up a sense of intrigue within its viewers.

Harry Potter (series of books): Yes, even the Harry Potter novels use flashback. Remember the Pensieve that Dumbledore uses? The reader (and Harry) are transported back in time to relive the memories of Dumbledore and others.

Tips for Using Flashbacks:

Use a trigger to justify taking the reader back into the past. This is the most natural way to introduce scenes from the past as this is actually how we recall memories in real life - we see something that reminds us of an event, person or detail that occurred in the past.

Also ensure that you use another trigger or event to bring your character (and reader) back to the present. This gives your reader clear signals as to when you are changing from past to present and present to past, in order to keep them immersed in the story, but not disorientated and confused.

Think of these triggers as 'bookends' to your flashback - they need to be there to keep this scene neat and tidy, but also shouldn't stand out like a sore thumb (excuse the cliche).

Don't overdo it. Don't litter your narrative with multiple flashbacks, this becomes irritating and confusing for the reader, but also questions the validity of you setting your story in the present when more is actually happening in the past... If you find you are doing this often, you might want to have a think about changing when you set your story.

Ensure that each flashback contributes to your story in someway or another, whether it reveals something about a particular event, builds upon your characterization of the protagonist or sets up something for further down the track in the narrative - it has to propel the story forward, even though you're looking back.

Check out this article at Writer's Digest to find out more.

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Literary Devices - Flashback - Writer's Edit

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Literary devices is the term used for the techniques and structures writers employ to convey their message and story. When done skillfully, the use of literary devices can alter, manipulate and challenge the way a reader perceives any work.

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People often base their opinion about a certain person purely out of things that they can see, not the things they went through. The problem with this is that people go through things in their life to make them that way. In this book, Trond lives in isolation, and at first the readers may judge him harshly for that, however as they learn more about him, they are able to understand why he acts that way, telling the readers to understand a person before they judge them.

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Although this may not be our traditional idea of 'oppressed' but this gives an awareness of people who lost their family and how they deal with it or don't deal with it. The author lost his whole family, and he wrote this book which is filled with people who lost their family member and how their lives were ruined by it. In this case, yes, the assertion that literature is the voice for the oppressed is valid because in this book, it is a voice for those people who went through rough times and their lives have been affected since then.
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2009/jan/03/per-petterson-interview

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When we first read about Jon crushing the eggs in the nest on his outing with Trond, we do not understand his behavior, why the eggs are so significant, and why Jon says what he says. After we read the next chapter, we finally realize why the eggs are important, and why Jon feels what he does. This change in perspective enriches our understanding of the events, and makes the scene with the eggs even more interesting and revelatory

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Oppressed isn't the word, but is it self imposed? (response to Mackenzie's response to September)

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Oppressed isn't the word, but is it self imposed? (response to Mackenzie's response to September)

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I think that Trond has definently had a hard life, but he is not necessarily oppressed by anyone. I think if anything he is oppressed by the people in his life which he is obligated to be responsible for. The oppression comes both from the isolation as well as the reason why he has chosen to be in isolation.

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Are women omitted because of the time being in the 1940's? or is there a different reason for this?

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The way that people may have viewed this book who had a similar situation to Trond's in the time period that he did, concerning his father, might relate to this more than someone from now a days. The way that masculinity played a role in Trond's growing up plays a very different role today. Now instead of seeing a 'man of the family' who is too young to be considered a 'man' we see the mothers as 'single moms'. Where the responsibility used to be placed on the eldest sons, it has been replaced with blame on the absent father.

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This could also just be the culture in which people in Sweden abided to. Especially back then. Where women oppressed in Sweden in 1948? This information can help determine whether this novel was a voice for the oppressed or not.

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There are flashbacks present throughout the book, as several others have mentioned. But these flashbacks are more important than events out of order. They are actually in order, as the book is written from the point of view of Trond in 1999 looking back on 1948. The fact that they are memories being remembered in the present, and not simply out of order chapters, makes the message more powerful. That the reader must focus on Trond's mind and point of view rather than the plot.

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"1. 5 times the average suicide rate:
2. Dramatically increased rates of depression and anxiety:
3. 32 time the average rate of incarceration:
4. Decreased education levels and increased drop-out rates:
5. Consistently lower average income levels:
6. Lower job security:
7. Increased rates of divorce and relationship issues:
8. Substantially increased rates of substance abuse and
9. Increases in social and mental behavioral issues"

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'Tonight, about 40 percent of children in the western world will go to sleep in homes in which their fathers do not live.
Before they reach the age of eighteen, more than half of our nation's children are likely to spend at least a significant portion of their childhoods living apart from their fathers.
Never before in this country have so many children been voluntarily abandoned by their fathers.
Never before have so many children grown up without knowing what it means to have a father.
Fatherlessness is the most harmful demographic trend of this generation. It is the leading cause of declining child and adult wellbeing in our society. It is also the engine driving our most urgent social problems.... If this trend continues, fatherlessness is likely to change the shape of our society.'
These comments by David Blankenhorn highlight the terrible impact that father absence has on both individuals and society as a whole.

Since the end of Second World War there has been increasing interest by governments and social commentators in the effects of the absent father on the development of those within the remaining family unit.
As a result thousands of studies have since been conducted. These studies have repeatedly uncovered a staggering array of issues inflicted particularly on the children of father absent households.

Interestingly it has been shown that the affects of emotionally unavailable fathers were almost identical to those where the father was physically absent.
The affects covered everything from physical differences (i.e. the quickened development into and through puberty of children raised with no father present) through to many and varied social and physiological issues.
The summary of issues listed below, in no way covers every aspect of father absence however it is still a powerful indictment to the current social epidemic.
In reference to the general population individuals raised in a father absent environment demonstrate;
1. 5 times the average suicide rate:
2. Dramatically increased rates of depression and anxiety:
3. 32 time the average rate of incarceration:
4. Decreased education levels and increased drop-out rates:
5. Consistently lower average income levels:
6. Lower job security:
7. Increased rates of divorce and relationship issues:
8. Substantially increased rates of substance abuse: and
9. Increases in social and mental behavioural issues:

Whilst the list above outlines the devastating foundation that father absence sets it does not begin to address the subtle aspect of father absence.
How do you measure a sense of abandonment and betrayal, how do you measure the feeling of not fitting in and of being different.
Father absence in many ways steals our birthright; it takes from us our inherent and natural internal structures. These are the frameworks that we rely on every day in every aspect of our lives, whether it be in our relationships, our level of happiness, our health, our behaviour, our prosperity or level of success.
If these inherent frameworks are missing or not allowed to fully develop we really never have a chance to realise our full potential.

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The 9 Devastating Effects Of The Absent Father

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'Tonight, about 40 percent of children in the western world will go to sleep in homes in which their fathers do not live. Before they reach the age of eighteen, more than half of our nation's children are likely to spend at least a significant portion of their childhoods living apart from their fathers.

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Pretty much agree with everyone else- Paige

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Pretty much agree with everyone else- Paige

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I agree with everyone that the meaning of a text can change over time. The basic themes/motifs of innocence, isolation, longing, etc are still seen today. Depending on the social situations of the time, however, there meaning does change. I also think that the interpretation of the text changes over time. How we interpret the meaning will definitely change over time as well.

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~Brianna
I agree that the main basis of the meaning has to remain the same throughout time and I believe the purpose of this book is to detail into Trond's life story and everything he learned from to attempt to teach the readers the lessons he has learned. I believe the interpretation may differ based on the cultural expectations such as family relationships, social constructs, etc. that may just alter the meaning slightly but not completely change it.

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The non-consecutive order of events is extremely valuable because it follows a much more natural storyline. Trond just gets to express his thoughts in a nice, reflective order, explaining everything he encounters at fits into his train of thought. It doesn't feel forced. It flows, allowing him to effectively explain his life as a whole. It makes it easier to piece together the puzzle of his life. Not only is he able to tell a story as it unfolds, but he can make it much more impactful by placing the reader into a similar situation of uncertainty as what the character was in.

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In the beginning of 1930s and 1940s women still had smaller roles in society. This role is reflected in Out Stealing Horses. We don't have the perspective or view points of any women. Jon's mother probably has the biggest role, much bigger than Trond's own mother.  The women we do see have very little relationship with the main male characters.
http://americanhistory1940-50.blogspot.com/p/role-of-women-during-1940s.html

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Why do you think it’s important that Trond is older and has flashbacks to his youth? Do you think he is longing for youth, or do you think he is simply reflecting on the fuller life he had?

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Authors all have their own writing style (obviously), but as far as changing the chronological order of the text, I believe that it may be important if the order is based off of importance and whether or not it adds to the text. If readers aren’t given certain information until later on, it adds to the perspective. If it adds to the suspense or understanding of the text, I believe the order could be extremely powerful in how the text is viewed.

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Just kidding, but seriously, everything you've said makes sense. I think that the meaning of this text will remain very similar to what it was because it deals with so many deep human themes like insignificance and connection with nature. I don't think that this is something that will easily shift too far over time. However, I do believe that our perception of nature and isolation will absolutely shift as the world becomes more connected and developed. It's already changed a lot since the events in the book took place, so I wouldn't be too surprise to see it change now.

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I agree that it is very important that we acknowledge that fact that women had very little say in this time period and they were often over looked in society. That being said, I think it's also important to appreciate the manner in which Jon's mother specifically was presented. Throughout the book she was seen as a strong woman who handled herself with poise even while getting the job done.

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I do not agree that the meaning of a text is fixed and does not change over time. The meaning of any text is different to every single person that reads it and even the author who wrote it. People are constantly changing their thoughts and ways of living and I believe that the message that an individual takes from a set of words can absolutely change.

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I agree with Sawyer. I think it’s worth noting that though Trond’s dad left Trond’s mom, we never get her perspective. She is painted as a distant and somber mother and there seems to be little indication of how she responded to her husband leaving her. I think this reflects the time period, and moreover culture during 1948, when Trond was experiencing this.

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I believe that literature is a voice for the oppressed. I believe that the loudest voices are often the only one's listened to at times but with literature anyone's voice can be heard. We also see in Out Stealing Horses that Trond has a very difficult time relaying his emotions to others but through his writing, the reader is able to fully grasp what he is feeling but not able to convey to the outside world.

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I agree that women aren't fully represented in this text but I feel as if it was to emphasize the "man of the house" motif throughout the book. Trond didn't focus on any of the women too hard because the mans role, in his opinion, was far more important than what women were capable of.

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I pretty much agree with everything you guys said...soooooo uh here it goes. The way people view things are always changing. Opinions, social norms etc. is something that will forever be evolving, so I think that it is safe to say that the meaning of certain texts will continue to change over time as well, even from reader to reader. Even two people reading the book at the same time can draw different messages from it. So no, I do not think the meaning of a text is fixed.

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I completely agree. Trond is all alone, living out the rest of his life in solitude with no one to tell his stories to but himself. Maybe recounting these times makes him feel as though he is not alone? (off topic, I know). Back to my point, Trond isn't necessarily oppressed, but rather unheard.

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I completely agree with you, I feel like if the book was written anyother  way it would be hard to understand and see how his life events unfolded. Being able to see the flashbacks allow you to see what makes him who he is.

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"Oppressed isn't the word, but is it self imposed?" I don't know who wrote this but I agree- Abigail

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"Oppressed isn't the word, but is it self imposed?" I don't know who wrote this but I agree- Abigail

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I agree with the idea that Trond doesn't necessarily seem oppressed, in voice or being. I think he created his isolation for a reason, not to feel caged in and oppressed, rather the opposite and feel free. His whole life was surrounded by trauma to the point where it encompassed his life, and I think by creating isolation for himself later in life gave him the freedom to breathe and no longer constantly worry about what was going to hurt him next. I think by being alone he was finally able to break down the protective barriers he held up his whole life, which is contrary to most who think he created walls through isolation.

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I like the point you made about significance rather than in chronological order. I think that it is important in a novel like this one to address significant events sooner rather than later because it allows the narrator to go back and reflect and build meaning from the original significance rather than just state event in a chronological order in a matter-of-fact manner.

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I agree! I don't necessarily think that the order matters as much as the fact that the flashbacks are showing who he is, and how he has grown up. The order does give the book a more interesting plot, and gives the second read of the book more likely to show connections between events, but I don't know if the order really matters that much.

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I do think it is important to note how little role women had in the time period, and in the story. The women do not affect Trond, at all. And, the only time we really see women is in a negative light. This is when Lar's mom makes him kill the dog because he is the man of the household. We also see when his wife makes him lose all confidence in himself after making love to her. These all prove women's roles were limited, and not in high regard during the time period.