Ovations for Olive

During the first third of Elizabeth Strout's 2008 novel Olive Kitteridge I harbored a slight resentment towards the pseudo main character Olive due to her seemingly insensitive behavior. For example, when in the presence of company, her husband Henry accidentally knocks ketchup over, and she sneers: "Leave it alone, Henry. For God's sake" (7). Olive's derisive tone through the commanding diction of "leave it" makes for quite an uncomfortable situation for her guests. Not only does this spout of anger leave her one guest "looking stricken" but it also indirectly characterizes Olive as spastic but it also forms a slightly menacing persona for her (7). Likewise, my disdainful feelings towards Olive arose once again when at her son's wedding a sobbing sister-in-law asked Olive if she cried at weddings to which olive replied "I don't see any reason to cry" (67). The juxtaposition of a seemingly crass Olive against her emotional counterpart furthers Olive's seemingly cold and inhumane persona. Thus, I could not help but hold a standoffish  mentality against Olive and her sheer apathy for others . However, further on in my reading I began to notice my feelings for her evolve into more of an appreciation for her cynical tones and realistic outlooks on life due to signs of her not being so tough and insensitive after all . For instance, when Olive finally spends time with Chris in New York City she could "not let go of a certain happiness inside her" (220). Strout indirectly characterizes Olive as upbeat, dare I say, jovial and she has finally began to shed her persona of a dispassionate hermit. Olive's dynamic character delves into so many levels, but through this "happiness inside her" she seems to embody a characteristic which every other character has had from the beginning: emotion. I can not help but crack a smile knowing Olive finally has something to smile about herself.  Likewise, the unfamiliar personality of Olive arises again when Rebecca recollects that Olive had told her "If you ever want to talk to me about anything", she could (242). The reassuring tone via the friendly diction of "anything" shines Olive in a light unlike any before, Strout interestingly reveals Olive's gentle and compassionate side through another characters story instead of through Olive's own dialogue. Furthermore, Strout indirectly characterizes Olive as benevolent, a characterization which I had never expected to associate with her, especially back during her days as a school teacher. I am now beginning to believe that Olive has a tough exterior but under her thick figure and allegedly horrid dresses lies a warm, wise person enduring a struggle to uphold her facade as a resilient and tenacious woman.