Growth of the Soil · Chapter
Chapter XIX explained
Isak returns from the village with a new horse and a mowing-machine, the first in the wilds.
What happens
Isak returns from the village with a new horse and a mowing-machine, the first in the wilds. He hides the machine to test it himself before revealing it to his sons. Meanwhile, news arrives that Breidablik is being sold; Brede Olsen is moving back to the village, having failed to secure housing with Axel Ström. Inger hears gossip about the Lensmand's wife having a baby. Eleseus works hard during haymaking, though he seems troubled by an unhappy love affair.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This chapter marks the dramatic climax because it presents the emotional and psychological peak of the communi…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Progress and Modernity
Isak's acquisition of the first mowing-machine in the wilds represents the arrival of modern technology, contrasting with traditional scythes and manual labor.
- Community and Isolation
Brede's failed attempt to move in with Axel Ström and his return to the village highlight tensions between communal support and individual self-sufficiency in the wilderness.
Characters to notice
- Isak
Returns from the village with a new horse and a mowing-machine, which he hides and tests himself. He is proud and secretive about the machine, and later reveals it to his sons.
- Inger
Surprised by Isak's news and the new horse; she claps her hands in astonishment. She also shows interest in gossip about the Lensmand's wife's baby.
- Eleseus
Works hard during haymaking despite blistered hands and lost appetite. He reads the instructions for the mowing-machine and seems troubled by an unhappy love affair.
- Sivert
Helps with the new horse and the mowing-machine; he and Eleseus discuss the machine's adjustments.
- Brede Olsen
Is selling Breidablik and moving back to the village. He tried to live with Axel Ström but was refused. He consoles himself with his telegraph inspector job.
Key passages
“Isak had never known such an hour in his life. To pick up a pen and write one’s mark on a paper, a document—ay, ’twas a perilous great thing that, no doubt.”
Isak felt that signing a document was a momentous act, but the mowing-machine brought him even greater wonder.
Highlights Isak's awe of the machine compared to his earlier fear of paperwork.
“He was a rich man now, with a big farm, but the heavy cash payments that had come to him by a lucky chance he used but poorly; he put the money aside. The land saved him.”
Despite his wealth, Isak is cautious with money and relies on the land for his livelihood, avoiding the temptations of village life.
Emphasizes Isak's connection to the land and his prudent nature.
