The Swan

The Swan by Guðbergur Bergsson

After completing The Swan by Bergsson I wondered to what extent the portrayal of the emotional connection to animals, the land, and community is felt among Icelandic children. After I complete more readings on traditional vs. modern Iceland I will read this book again. It feels as if it is artistically portraying the struggle or conflict between tradition and modernity. And this story beautifully makes a parallel between that idea in itself, woven in many strings of words, emotions, and events, to that of the growth taking place inside this nine year old girl.

What I found most interesting was the closeness felt between the family and entire community to one calf. It seems as if this relationship happens with many farm animals, mainly sheep. One farmer's particular calf is known throughout a single community of farmers. In this novel, children come from all over, from different farms, anxious to witness the slaughter of this animal. The girl in the story came from the city and has never witnessed this type of event before. As much as she cares for this animal and even loves this animal, there is a part of her that wants to witness the death of this animal. She even speaks to it before the farmer kills it, while other children laugh at her sincerity. The little girl asked the calf to "take a look at the world." The farmer made jokes about the calf's mother, "How would the cow moo if she knew we were eating her calf? Like this..."

There were also many remarks about conflicting views of children in this novel. There were many moments where it seemed as if adults were unable to treat children as children, desiring for them to grow up quickly. There were sexual remarks and remarks about the nine year old girl's growing body, "You'll surely have breasts and hips like a true woman when you come home. Eat a lot." I read this sentence, not thinking much of it, but when I am reminded that the girl is nine years old, I am a little shocked. Nine years old is equivalent to a child in the third grade and I cannot imagine telling a girl this young that over the summer she will hopefully develop breasts and hips and become a woman. As if that is the goal of her third grade summer.

This book shows many contrasts that may or may not be representative of Iceland's modern society. Regardless, reading it a second time will help to put everything in perspective, as I have felt many, many contrasts in the modern Iceland I have visited. This books addresses issues of relationships with domestic animals, sexuality of young children, and the importance of women in the family unit as well as their inferiority which is assumed in the family life of this novel.