The Father Bjornsterne Bjornson (Norway)

v  Plot

       A peasant, Thord Overaas, visits his priest four times during the course of twenty-one years. The first time he asks that his son, Finn, be baptized by himself. Sixteen years later Thord pays the priest ten dollars, for Finn is to stand first (among his peers) for confirmation. Next, when the banns of the son’s impending marriage are to be published, Thord pays the priest three dollars; this is an excessive amount, but Finn is to marry the richest girl in the parish, and Thord “wants to do it handsomely”. Soon after this, father and son are involved in a boating accident, and the son loses his life. A year later, Thord visits the priest for the last time. He is so much changed that the priest barely recognizes him. Thord has sold his farm, and presents half of its price to be given to the poor. When asked what he will now do, Thord responds, “something better”. The priest declares that the son has at last “brought a true blessing”.

ü  Conflict

·         The conflict in the story is the wanting of the father to put his child’s account on top.

ü  Climax

·         The climax in the story is when the son died and the father was very sorrow about it.

ü  Denouement

·         The resolution of the story is when the father realized that his son is the true blessing to him that his death made him realized that money is not everything.

v  Characters

ü  Protagonist:

·         Thord Overaas- the father and the main character in the story

·         Finn- child of Thord

·         The priest

ü  Antagonist:

·         Fate- fate of the son to die that brought his father a true blessing.

v  Setting

ü  Location- in Thord’s parish

ü  Time- long time ago

v  Theme

       The theme is about life process for it tells the experiences of Thord Overaas along the way from the birth and death of Finn.

v  Point of View

       The narrator is not a participant in the story and his knowledge is limited to Thord’s character thus, making it to fall under the Third person’s point of view.

v  Conflict

       Man vs. Himself is evident in the story for Thord is struggling against his will of giving his son only the best without realizing other important matter than giving the best of wealth to his son.

v  Symbol

       The dollar is the symbol in this story for so many times he used it to put his son’s account on top.

v  Moral lesson

       Wealth is nothing compared to the person or people you love.