The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1973, Síða 78

76
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
SUMMER 1973
Magnus “Mike” Magnusson was Ice-
landic born. He spoke several lan-
guages, and had a large library. He
was a big man, with big shoulders. He
demonstrated kindness and love, but,
aroused, he showed strong indignation
most forcefully.
Anna Magnusson was “now a moth-
erly, lovely woman”. She cherished her
memory of Iceland and had faith that
God would protect the people of that
remote North Atlantic island. She in-
sisted that everything she served be of
the best and served in the nicest pos-
sible way. She and her husband
‘Mike’ were a kindly, hospitable
couple.
Gunnar Magnussson, the son, ap-
pears first as a youth with his golden
hair waved upon his broad forehead,
with blue eyes aglow with light, “like
a young God”.
Dora Magnusson, the daughter was
Katherine’s best friend. She had blue
eyes and a faultless complexion . . .
“the most beautiful girl I have ever
seen”. As a young girl she was full of
life and fun. The challenge of the
years gave her maturity.
Tim Cameron, Katherine’s brother-
in-law, was hopelessly incompetent in
earning a living for his family, but
clever, well-read, alert to everything
going on in the world. He was good
to his family and to dumb animals and
his family loved him and nearly every-
one liked him.
“Life’s Many Moods” is the title of
the novel. This is a key phrase to a
variety of moods, emotions, feelings
manifested: love and hate, joy and
sadness and heartbreak, fear, pride,
excitement and quiet contentment,
with an occasional gleam of humor.
As mentioned above, there are
several plots. Racial prejudice — ’’the
stinking foreigners” wrecks love’s
dreams and completely changes the
lives of two young people deeply in
love. One mother’s domination threat-
ens the happiness of another couple.
-------“His mother has made up her
mind to split them up”. A selfish, ir-
responsible husband causes his wife
much unhappiness. Another wife, stiff-
necked, vinegar-tempered, drives her
husband to seek a woman’s warmth
and love elsewhere.
The author has a philosophical vein.
Iceland is seen as a country not very
big indeed, but in other ways it seems
to be truly big . . . “How come? why
did not bigger and mightier nations
show as good results?” “I remember
my mother saying on occasions, ‘It is
not quantity, my child, it is quality
that counts’.”
Katherine says: “True. I had my
room at Mrs. Fraser’s boardinghouse
and I lived there but it takes more
than a room to make a Home.”
Regarding Iceland, “the harder a
taskmaster the country has been, the
stronger a hold it has on the boy.”
The pioneers of Hope, 1880, who
named the town, were cutting away
from the past—looking to the future.
There is appreciation of nature.
“Gullfoss — that mighty waterfall
thrilled me as nothing else has ever
done before or since. Its beauty—its
magnificence was something to re-
member as long as you lived.” Also,
“Vigorously I inhaled fresh air smell-
ing of June roses, of grain, and grow-
ing corn”.
Language is of the plain, everyday
variety, but there are imaginative des-
criptive touches. “Just to hear Nancy
talk was a lesson in music". In lonely
old age . . . “Shadow men and shadow
women were her company now”. "Run-
ners in my stockings ad runners in my
heart.”
I have enjoyed my sojourn with the
people of Hope in Life’s Many Moods.
— W. Kristjanson