Growth of the Soil, Hamsun's Nobel Prize winning novel, is a classic of Scandinavian literature.
At the time it was published, the literary world was in the throes of shifting to a modernist style. Popular novels were set in the contemporary present, with technological and societal advancements forming part of the narrative backdrop. Growth of the Soil openly displays the conflicts between the old traditions of agrarian society, and the ever-mounting wonders and conveniences offered by modern society.
The farmer Isak scarcely acknowledges the values of modern living. Illiterate but capable of carrying out the business of running a farm, he has physical strength and works with his hands. Although initially amazed by Isak's prowess - his wife Inger, who came into contact with modern society when imprisoned for killing her infant due to its birth defect, return to the home much less impressed by the country life.
Isak's deeply held passion for the Norwegian countryside is contrasted against the cosmopolitan and intellectual traits expressed in his son Eleseus. Despite his superior mental faculties, Eleseus frequently spends his money carelessly on his travels, exasperating his parents with requests for financial support.
The author Knut Hamsun is unabashedly in favour of the old way of living: while acknowledging the many advantages of modern life in other characters, through Isak he vividly illustrates the human joys of cooperation, rural community and connection with nature which can be enjoyed with no connection to industrial society.
