Changed by Change

Throughout my young life, I have always hated change. I honestly cried when my parents wanted to repaint the living room. But after I read Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteredge, I began to see all the great things that can come from change. In a time when Americans elected the first African American president, change seemed inevitable in the novel. All characters fight their own demons, but only those who decide to make a change end up happy. For example, Strout introduces Angela O’Meara, a local pianist who has an ongoing affair with a married man. But after the man verbally abuses Angela, she proclaims that she will “not call him” again (60). The absolute diction of “not” implies that Angela will never change her mind on the matter. Although she feels dependent on the man, she wills herself to adjust. I see Angela’s choice as life altering, for now she can look towards a better future. Strout again illustrates this theme through Winnie, a girl whose sister Julie encourages her to leave her bedraggled home for a better life. When Winnie’s father asks if she wants pancakes, Winnie admits she “didn’t want pancakes” (199). Strout utilizes pancakes as a symbol for Winnie’s attachment to her family. By rejecting the pancakes, Winnie changes from a child dependent on her mother to a woman who will make her own decisions. I have seen through Winnie the power I can have over my own life, and that no one has to accept their fate. My favorite change, of course, comes with Olive herself. Olive ultimately finds love again and finally sees the world as a place she “did not want to leave” (270). Strout sharply juxtaposes this claim to her previous sentiment when Olive wished only to die quickly. The author also asserts how love can change people, but one must feel willing to change. Strout knows that many wish to change like her characters, and she encourages them to take that risk.  Although change can still give me a stomach ache, I know now that people like me have to accept the inevitable: the only thing constant comes as change.

Hover Parent

Since the dawn of time, children have rebelled against their parents. Classic movies such as The Breakfast Club and Freaky Friday demonstrate the adolescent need for freedom, and Elizabeth Strout demonstrates the effects of this timeless conflict in her novel Olive Kitteridge. Although every three out of ten young adults live at home, Strout, a Pulitzer Prize winner, illustrates the opposite scenario with Olive and her only son Christopher. Olive’s commanding personality creates resentment in Christopher that I believe may never resolve, therefore showing Olive’s flaws. Olive’s husband, Henry, first brings this conflict to Olive’s attention, claiming that Olive “‘took over that boy’s life’” (121). By indirectly characterizing Olive as overbearing, Strout asserts the effects of bossy parenting—eventually, the child will see reason to break ties. Although I love Olive dearly, I can see why Christopher could not stand this life. Olive herself acknowledges his cold shoulder when she secretly begs her son to “do something for me!” (149). Through both the italics and exclamation point, Strout emphasizes Olive’s desperate tone. But when Chris ignores his mother, the author implies the son’s bitterness. Although Olive hovered over Chris’ childhood, he will not do the reverse. The pained mother finally accepts her son’s separation when she thinks how he remains “in California…gone” (175). With the absolute connotations of “gone,” Strout creates an aggrieved tone from Olive. She put all her love towards Chris, but her rude demeanor wins out. Although Strout relies on pathos to create empathy felt by other mothers, I believe the empathy would remain just as strong if told from Christopher’s point of view. Strout writes to these mothers in order to encourage them to love their child yet never overbear. She addresses the opposite goes for their children: try to understand their parent’s love, because they may not have the ability to fix a broken relationship. I see this conflict with kids my own age as well. I hope that they can redirect their frustration in order to better relate to the elder generation, a task that Christopher Kitteridge thoroughly ignores.

Olive You!

Marilyn Monroe once said “Well behaved women rarely make history,” and I believe Elizabeth Strout takes this assertion to heart in her novel Olive Kitteridge. Strout, a Pulitzer Prize winner, writes of Olive, a school teacher who holds bold opinions on life. Although Olive’s profession does not stand out in a time when women made up 82 percent of educators, nobody who encounters her will ever forget her. I love Olive for her sassy take on life, yet she still develops as a sensitive woman throughout the first third of the novel. Strout first introduces my favorite character when Olive describes her husband’s assistant as looking “‘like a mouse’” (5). Through the weak connotations of “mouse,” Strout creates a critical tone from Olive, indirectly characterizing her as harsh. Even with his negative trait, I see Olive as unafraid to speak her mind. Many women today still do not hold this quality. Strout exposes another side to Olive when the woman bumps into an old student, Kevin Coulson, and admits “‘I’ve thought of you’” (37). Strout indirectly characterizes Olive this time as caring for thinking of this boy who lost his mother to suicide. The author applies Kevin as a synecdoche for Olive’s students: although she often appears bitter, she truly wants to protect them all. The author again displays Olive’s softer side at her son’s wedding, claiming that newlyweds believe “they’re finished with loneliness” (68). By asserting this falsity that her son and his bride surely believe, Strout renders Olive’s emotions to the world. Although she surrounds herself with people, she still feels alone. I believe women today often feel this emotion, yet remain afraid to speak their mind. Strout writes to these women to demonstrate to them that if they trust in themselves, they will not need the acceptance of others. Strout applies this to older women as well—age does not mean one cannot speak their mind. I see people judging the Olives of the world every day, and I hope that they will notice the sensitive side of this group, just like the real Olive Kitteridge holds in Strout’s novel.