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Communication in the Era of Social Media Arianna

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Communication in the Era of Social Media Arianna

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Even though the book was made in 2003, a lot of technological advances have taken place that completely change the way we communicate with each other. In 2003, without computers at everyone's house, cameras at everyone's fingerprints, and so many vehicles of communication the world wasn't as media obsessed. Because we've all grown up with this technology, it seems taboo to live by oneself, completely removed from society. I think that 15 years ago, Trond's decision to be by himself without much talk would have been more relatable, especially because he is a senior citizen.

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While we will never know precisely what the author's intentions were when he was writing the book, the best we can do is speculate. I personally believe that the reason for this artistic choice is that the author used the flashback chapters as a method of giving the reader only as much information as they need at any given point. For example, the author introduced Lars, then showed Lars' backstory in order to give more meaning and depth to his character. This method keeps the reader involved in the book as they try to figure out what is going on and where all the pieces fit.

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Chronological Sequence of Events and Reader Insight (Morgan)

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Chronological Sequence of Events and Reader Insight (Morgan)

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By choosing not to follow a chronological sequence of events, Per Pettersen is able to manifest his characters as dynamic products of their past as well as their present. Trond's flashbacks, for example, provide the reader with insight as to how his adolescent experiences and behaviors have shaped his personality and present outlook. Because the reader has access to and understanding of Trond's strange relationship with his father, his friendship with Jon, and the overall lack of resolution surrounding memories from his childhood, connections can be drawn to his isolation, fear of vulnerability, and tendency to fixate on the past. If the events of the book were in chronological order it would be more difficult for the reader to identify the moments most relevant to the characters, because they would not be indicated directly by flashbacks.

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Frequently both author's and movie directors will choose not to follow a chronological sequence simply in order to introduce all characters at the beginning or at the same time. This is done in order to include a character throughout the book/production, that would otherwise only be present for a specific section. The movie, "Dunkirk", is not in chronological order because if it was, many character would only be present for 5-10 minutes of the movie. With the way it is done however, they are included throughout the entire movie, which draws recognition to their significance. Some characters that this is done for in "Out Stealing Horses" could be Jon, Jon's mom, and perhaps even Trond's dad. If the book followed chronological order, Trond's dad would only be a present in the first half of the novel.

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Per Pettersen himself used literature as an outlet in his life, as he suffered the death of his entire family on one day during a ferry fire. His first stated that he was unable to write certain books while his family was still alive and found himself able to write about a larger variety of topics afterwards. Moreover, he uses the books to express his emotions as he inserts himself, a character called Arvid Jansen, who always is experiencing some kind of trouble. Though this character is not featured in Out Stealing Horses, he tends to write without planning in order to fully express the emotions he suppresses. Therefore, this book is a voice for the author himself.
“Interview: Per Petterson.” The Guardian, 2 Jan. 2009, 19:01, www.theguardian.com/culture/2009/jan/03/per-petterson-interview.

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Emelie                                             Out Stealing Horses is a voice for the oppressed. Not necessarily for people who are directly oppressed by rules of society, but those who are oppressed by their own lack of communication. Trond is an introverted person in the way that he doesn't communicate his problems and emotions well to other people, or even himself. Other introverted people like Trond may read this novel and completely understand where he is coming from and how he deals with his emotions and not feel so alone.

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Women are not fairly represented in the text. In 1948, when part of the book takes place, it is not reflected that women were close to equal with men. "Between 1901 and 1913, Norwegian women won a series of legislative victories, including the universal right to vote" (5). The author uses women more as objects or the cause of problems, like Jon's mom or Ellen. Women in Norway were often "model citizens in their adopted home for the rest of the world" (5) but that is not how the author treats them. I think this is intentional because the author did not want to take away from the point of the story which was to follow a boy and see how his interactions with his father shaped him and highlighting his relationships with other people, women, would take away from that.

Peterson, Anna. “Making Women's Suffrage Support an Ethnic Duty: Norwegian American Identity Constructions and the Women's Suffrage Movement, 1880-1925.” Journal of American Ethnic History, vol. 30, no. 4, 2011, pp. 5–23. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/jamerethnhist.30.4.0005.

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Women are omitted from the text. Growing up Trond never really has that mother figure in his life. I think that because he never had that mother figure, he struggles in his relationship with his daughter and has trouble recognizing the emotions that correlate with the affection and relationship from his daughter. Women in this story are not focused on but do come up, Tronds mother, Tronds daughter, Tronds wives. However, when a female role comes up there is usually some negative event to follow for example, Trond leaves on the train to his mother, Tronds wife dies, etc...

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I read an article about how "A Doll House", also a piece of literature from Norway, is still considered relevant now. This is a play that first captured the story of a woman as an individual. The article mentions that most protagonists remain male, meaning that the ideas in this play remain relevant today. I think we can see the same thing in Out Stealing Horses, in a sense. These are both pieces from the same country, and although they were created at different times, we can see the same general societal expectations in both. Out Stealing Horses has a meaning that is likely to stay fixed, because a majority of its central themes do not have to do with aspects of life that have drastically changed since the time period of its setting. Because women play a role in the book, but are not the protagonist, nor are they directly squandered, this book is not likely to be seen as a feminist anthem at any point in time. The solitude that Trond craves will remain important in the coming years, especially with an increasing population causing even more strains in the relationship with oneself, as well as representation in society as a whole. I think that because the book is very internal, the meaning of this particular text may stay largely fixed.
Rustin, Susanna. “Why A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen is more relevant than ever.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 10 Aug. 2013, www.theguardian.com/stage/2013/aug/10/dolls-house-henrik-ibsen-relevant.

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In 2003, when the book was published, the gender values and roles were not the same as now. Currently, someone in Norway reading this book might see it as inaccurate representation of gender roles (all female characters are static in the book). However, in the time, women were not paid equally and valued as highly as today.

Lovett, Samuel. Norway's male and female footballers sign historic equal-pay agreement. independent.co.uk, The Independent, 15 December 2017, Web.

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It is interesting to note how Trond and his father are both portrayed as more "masculine" in the sense that they deal with both physical and emotional pain on their own. In the sense that they are not encouraged to share their natural and human emotions with the rest of the world around them, it can be argued that men as represented in Out Stealing Horses are oppressed. The author is using this literature to speak for the men who are culturally asked to remain strong on the outside, especially in Norway. The cultural expectations there include a general reserved personality and a lack of emotional attachment that is a hallmark of this book. It is a voice for the men who suffer silently because of societal expectations. Also, Trond is further forced to suffer because of the absence of his father. I found an article that claimed that "father-absent boys [in Norway]… would show immaturity… . Being insecure in their identification with the father, father-absent boys would show stronger strivings toward father-identification… [and] compensatory masculinity… would demonstrate poorer peer/adjustment…" (Sawrey), further indicating that the oppression that Trond feels is exacerbated by his lack of a father after he returns to his mother.

Lynn, D. B., & Sawrey, W. L. (1959). The effects of father-absence on Norwegian boys and girls. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 59(2), 258-262.

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With regard to Out Stealing Horses, it is important to note that while there is no direct oppression, and argument can be made that there is a feeling of resentment for several key pieces of the book. One of which is familial connections. While a familial connection is not a person being oppressed, it is an idea that is suppressed by the characters within Out Stealing Horses. I believe that this book helps share how life may be strained by such loose relationships. It serves as an example to those who may be in a real life situation similar to that of the book.

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Authors sometimes choose not to write in chronological order to show the development of a character and how they got to where they are in the present day. In Trond's case, we see how his trip to the cabin and the things he learned about his father shaped him to be who he is later on.

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The non-chronological sequence of events in the book help to develop Trond in the reader's eyes; seeing events connected within Trond's mind and how he remembers them helps readers to understand how the character is living/has lived

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Often times authors choose to write in a non-linear fashion for the purpose of connecting the past to the future. This helps one achieve insight into specific events that helped shape characters into what they would eventually become. Not only insight, but hindsight as well, which allows the reader to further understand the characterization that took place because of past event. Overall, this will assist the reader acquire a better understanding of the themes and morals expressed by the author. This is specifically exemplified by Out Stealing Horses as the reader is able to learn how Trond's past helped shape the man he would become.

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Based on the article I found on CultureGrams, it's interesting to see how the country's idea of independence and desire for participation in humanitarian aid may not have changed over time. Although this book is current enough that the interpretations of the topics have not necessarily changed, what is important to note is that the innate desires of Norwegian citizens have not changes. Their help for the Jews in WWII, and Trond's desire for independence can be related to their current international politics involved with aid, and staying out of the EU in an effort to retain their independence.
"Norway: History." CultureGrams Online Edition, ProQuest, 2018, online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country_sections.php?cid=119&cn=Norway&sname=History&snid=2. Accessed 06 March 2018.