Snow Treasure

Lovisa Lundstrom is Peter’s sister. She is 10 years old. Like Peter, Lovisa becomes involved in the scheme to smuggle the gold bullion to the Snake fiord. Like the other children, Lovisa is fearful of passing the watching German sentries with the bullion hidden in her sled, and her eyes are described to grow “round with fright” at the sight of the “hundreds of grey-clad soldiers” (48). Despite her misgivings, she nonetheless displays admirable courage and fortitude by participating in such a serious, top-secret plan at such a young age. Like Peter, she also demonstrates courage under fire, for she stubbornly remains silent even when the Commandant yells at her and destroys her snowman menacingly. As the narration states, “Lovisa was near to tears, Peter could tell. But she winked them back” (141).

Lovisa is further characterized as a kind character who lovingly looks after her younger brother, Bunny. Furthermore, because she is born and raised in the harsh environment of Riswyk, she feels at ease with the extreme weather of the Arctic Circle and shows fortitude in a wide variety of situations that arise from the environment and from the actions of the German occupiers. For example, McSwigan demonstrates Lovisa’s dry humor and wit quite clearly when the girl delights in the blizzard and observes: “If [the Germans’] barracks blow over, they’ll be good and mad,” (73). Such an offhand comment in the midst of such dark and troubling times demonstrates Lovisa’s inner strength, for the ability to maintain a sense of humor even in the midst of such existential struggles sets her apart and makes her a character of note as the plot unfolds.

According to his nephew, Peter, Victor Lundstrom “led a life of adventure” (4), and his contributions to the resistance movement are often idolized by the children who are, in their own way, following in his footsteps. Victor is a professional fisherman who leads a fleet of fishing vessels and has traveled widely on his boat, the Cleng Peerson. Victor is proud of his Norwegian nationality, and he is confident that it gives him and the other Riswyk locals an edge over the invading Germans. His patriotic pride is evident when he reminds his nephew to have faith in their plan, saying, “Remember, Peter, we’re Norwegians and we’re as much at home in the water as we are on land. This is our country and these are our waters and there’s no foreign power that can keep us from using what’s always belonged to us” (34).

Victor comes up with the idea of having the children transport the gold bullion, an idea that clearly illustrates his ingenuity. A more critical reading of Victor’s plan might highlight the immorality of risking the lives of children, but on the other hand, Victor’s confidence in the children’s ability to successfully dupe the Nazi soldiers demonstrates his respect for children as sensible and capable individuals who are more than ready to play an adult’s role in the situation. Confirming Uncle Victor’s good opinion of them, the children rise to this challenge and succeed in the scheme.

Throughout the novel, Victor carries himself with a brash, roguish charm that Peter finds admirable; he usually meets his niece and nephew with a “great roar of greeting” (4). When Peter expresses concern about their plan, Victor assures him, “Don’t worry. We’re not going to get caught. It’s too much money to give the Germans and, anyway, I’d like to see New York again” (113). His nonchalance in the face of a very real threat to his safety and the inherent dangers of the gold smuggling scheme illustrate his likable, irreverent confidence. His adventurous spirit is also symbolized by his ship, the Cleng Peerson, which he sails far and wide in pursuit of his goals. In accordance with his adventurous spirit, at the novel’s conclusion, Victor sets sail for America, eager for new adventures and accompanied by his admiring nephew, who emulates his traits in many ways.

Peter and Lovisa’s parents are characterized as being kind and loving. They want to defend Norway’s best interests but fear for the well-being of their children as the family pursues this larger, patriotic goal. When Victor presents his idea to use Peter and the other children, Lars interjects, “Victor, for all the gold in Norway I won’t have my son in danger” (13). Similarly, when Lars is outlining his plan to his wife, Mrs. Lundstrom (whose first name is never stated), implores him to exclude Lovisa, saying, “I couldn’t bear to have Lovisa out of my sight” (15). These moments highlight the difficult situation the parents must navigate, for their children are presented as the only ones able to assist Norway in safeguarding its gold bullion, and it is beyond difficult for adults to stand by and allow children to shoulder the bulk of the danger that the enterprise presents. Thus, both Lars Lundstrom and Mrs. Lundstrom are portrayed as loving parents who nonetheless have the courage to stand back and allow their children to grow into important new roles for the greater good of the community.

Similarly, Lars Lundstrom demonstrates his own sense of responsibility when he joins the Norwegian division to fight against the invading Nazi soldiers. However, the Norwegian army ultimately loses to Germany, a fact that is implied at the novel’s conclusion, which states, “[The Norwegian] army is putting up a magnificent defense but it’s only a question of time until it can no longer hold out. Then the order will come to cease firing” (155).

Just like her husband, Mrs. Lundstrom also demonstrates her own capabilities and bravery as she works to protect and aid her children in their endeavors. Through characters like Mrs. Lundstrom, McSwigan thus conveys a message of female capability and power; Mrs. Lundstrom ably assists in the gold-smuggling scheme despite the risks involved, and she also comes up with the plan to create a fictional epidemic to allow the children to remain out of school. Although presumably heartbroken, Mrs. Lundstrom makes the difficult decision to allow her son to travel to America, knowing that his life would be in danger in Riswyk after his escape from imprisonment in the German barracks. Ultimately, she wants him “to grow up in a country where people are free” (155), and her decision to let her son leave, perhaps for years or even permanently, illustrates her selflessness. She therefore prioritizes her son’s safety and well-being over her own desire to keep him close by.

Helga Thomsen is a young girl who lives in Riswyk with her family. Like Peter, Michael, and Lovisa, she is involved in the gold-smuggling scheme. Helga’s age is not specified, although she is older than Lovisa; she is perhaps 12, like Peter and Michael. Helga is characterized as “a tomboy” (1); in the exposition, she is described as being “daring as any boy” (2) when she dives at Michael and Peter in her sled. Such descriptions set the stage for her later bravery when she boldly faces the Nazi soldiers during the children’s first big trip to the fiord together.

Indeed, when the children stop to take in the intimidating sight of the German freighter and soldiers in the main fiord, “it [is] Helga who [makes] them brave again” (48). She further declares, “I’m not afraid of any goose step!” (48). Furthermore, despite the terrifying sight of hundreds of German soldiers, including armed sentries looking for signs of Norwegian resistance, Helga volunteers to go first, insisting, “It would look even less suspicious if a girl went first” (53). She confidently leads the children past the watching sentries, showcasing her courage. Thus, like Mrs. Lundstrom, Helga illustrates the power of women to face adversity, for although women were often overlooked in this time period, they in fact demonstrated resourcefulness, bravery, selflessness, ingenuity, and military skills in many theaters of World War II.