Pelle the Conqueror · Chapter
XXII explained
Pelle and Lasse struggle with their failed attempt to leave Stone Farm, returning home in defeat.
What happens
Pelle and Lasse struggle with their failed attempt to leave Stone Farm, returning home in defeat. As spring approaches, Lasse worries about affording Pelle's confirmation clothes and reluctantly borrows money from Madam Olsen. Lasse gets drunk in shame, and Pelle must physically drag him to bed. The next day, Lasse pours out the gin and promises to reform, urging Pelle to return to school despite the disgrace.
Themes in this chapter
Poverty and Survival
Lasse's desperate borrowing for confirmation clothes and his drinking to cope with shame highlight the crushing poverty and lack of social safety nets.
Fatherhood and Family
Pelle's role reversal as he physically drags his drunken father to bed and covers his shame, while Lasse ultimately sacrifices his pride to provide for his son's confirmation.
Coming of Age and Self-Discovery
Pelle's impending confirmation marks a threshold into adulthood, and his handling of his father's drunkenness forces him to assume adult responsibilities.
Characters to notice
- Pelle the Conqueror
Pelle is torn between wanting to leave and feeling burdened by his father; he drags Lasse home after the failed escape, later physically forces his drunken father to bed, and reluctantly agrees to return to school.
- Father Lasse
Lasse loses hope during the attempted departure, suggests returning, borrows money from Madam Olsen for Pelle's confirmation, gets drunk in shame, and ultimately pours out the gin and promises to reform.
- Brother Kalle
Kalle made Grandmother's funeral a festive day with abundant food and drink, and used the occasion to ask Madam Olsen to legitimize their relationship.
- Madam Olsen
Madam Olsen is the sweetheart of Brother Kalle; Lasse borrows money from her for Pelle's confirmation clothes.
- Fris
Old Fris is now a shadow of his former self, shaking and barely able to hold objects, but still brings the newspaper to school.
Key passages
“Grandmother’s funeral was still like a bright light behind everything that one thought and did.”
The memory of Grandmother's funeral remained a warm and positive influence on everyone's thoughts and actions.
The funeral left a lasting, comforting impression on the characters.
“It’s a badly buried trouble that one has to lay with gin; and what’s hidden in the snow comes up in the thaw, as the saying is.”
Drinking gin only temporarily covers up deep sorrows, which inevitably resurface later.
Lasse reflects on his drinking as a failed attempt to bury his troubles.
“You’re like Noah’s good son, that covered up his father’s shame!”
You are like the son of Noah who protected his father from disgrace.
Lasse compares Pelle's care for him to the biblical story of Shem covering Noah's nakedness.