How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Section.Paragraph)
Quote #1
But Syvert had every reason to be in the lead; his house had been all ready to move into when they had arrived. That little stable which he had built wasn't more than a decent day's work for an able man. And he had horses, too… Of course, such things gave him a big advantage. (1.2.7.11)
Per Hansa is disappointed that he has reached the Norwegian settlement later than his friends. Now he'll have to work extra hard if he wants to surpass his neighbors and build a better farm than them.
Quote #2
Now he would get ahead of both Hands Olsa and the Solum boys! None of them had even begun to think of building a barn yet; while according to his plan, his barn would be finished when his house was done. (1.2.8.16)
Per Hansa feels his happiest whenever he thinks that he's outdoing his neighbors. Sure, there's the satisfaction of a job well done. But deep down, there's nothing that makes him happier than beating people at stuff.
Quote #3
By God! He'd show them! He'd give them a chance to see for themselves who was the better man! (1.3.1.13)
As you can probably tell by this point, Per Hansa is a bit obsessed with showing everyone how awesome he is. And this isn't something he can show them once and for all. No, he needs to get up every day and prove himself all over again. It's a never-ending project, and a pretty exhausting one too.
Quote #4
But there it was, exactly as he had feared; this stake had Joe Gill carved on it. (1.4.2.18)
Per Hansa can't believe his eyes when he finds stakes marking off his friends' lands as belonging to Irish settlers. Hansa has no interest in replacing his Norwegian neighbors with Irish ones, no matter how competitive he is with these neighbors. For Per, a person can definitely be his competitor and his friend.
Quote #5
But the dishonourableness of the act made her shrink back in disgust. (1.4.5.6)
When Beret realizes that her husband has stolen and burned other people's wooden landmarks, she can't believe that the man she married would be so dishonest. Respect for other people's property (especially land) is a big, big deal in Norwegian culture, and Beret feels like her husband's intense competitiveness is leading him into a life of devilish sin. This fear is only going to get worse as the novel goes on.
Quote #6
What were they doing here? Henry demanded. —This quarter had been taken up long ago. (1.4.10.15)
Apart from Per Hansa, the other Norwegians can be competitive and territorial too. Henry Solum, for example, is quick to tell the Irish invaders to go away and find their own land. Little does he know that Per Hansa has illegally destroyed all of the stakes that the Irish have use dot mark the land as theirs.
Quote #7
It was clearly evident from the man's face that a storm was brewing; the fact that the big Irishman carried a sledgehammer in his hand also attracted Per Hansa's attention. (1.4.10.30)
Per Hansa isn't about to let some Irish intruders mess with his friends' land. Yes, he is competitive with his friends. But the moment any outsiders show up, Hansa is quick to ally with his friends to fight off the threat.
Quote #8
When he had learned how a black earthen wall could be made shining white at so small a cost, why hadn't he told the others? (1.6.2.17)
Whenever Per Hansa finds out a new way of improving his home, he makes sure to keep it secret from his neighbors. Eventually, they call him out on this because it's antisocial for him to want to be one step ahead of everyone all the time. The only way these people are going to survive is if they cooperate.
Quote #9
There were his neighbours—poor devils! Hadn't they worked just as faithfully, hadn't they struggled just as hard—and with a great deal more common sense than he had shown? (2.2.9.40)
Eventually, even Per Hansa can appreciate the fact that blind luck has put him ahead of his neighbors, more than skill or common sense has. But maybe he learns his lesson a little too late.
Quote #10
"The urge within me drove me on and on, and never would I stop; for I reasoned like this, that where I found happiness others must find it was well." (2.5.9.25)
By the end of the book, Per Hansa realizes that his competitive quest for glory has made him happy at the expense of other people. Competitive people, you see, tend to look at their goals with tunnel vision, and they aren't very good at seeing life from multiple points of view.