Expression of Emotions in The Norwegian-American Immigrant Letters, 1838-1848

Abstract

Emotions are integral to human mobility. However, research on the expression of emotions in the letters of early immigrants is often neglected. This study on emotional expressions in early Norwegian-American immigrant letters, exchanged between 1838 and 1848, is a case in point. This article explores the dynamics in emotional expressions in the early letters of Norwegian-American  immigrants.  It  shows  how  immigrants  expressed  their  emotions  in  the  letters  addressed  to  their family members, neighbours and friends. This article also investigates the presence of  emotional calls in the immigrant letters,which  successfully  pulled  more  people  from  Norway  to  America.  Unlike  many  other  early  immigrant  groups, Norwegian immigrants in America were satisfied with their migrationexperience and expressed more positive emotions in their home-going letters than negative ones. Considering the lack of research on the emotional aspects of migration, this paper recommends conducting more studies on this area.