Reluctant Approval

In the novel Olive Kitteridge, author Elizabeth Strout portrays the titular character as obstinate and verbally impetuous.  Perceiving herself as always correct, Olive displayed a large degree of presumptuous behavior in the first third of Strout’s book.  Olive’s ability to candidly disclose her thoughts and opinions has caused me to have mixed feelings towards her actions.  On one hand, Olive’s treatment of others seems rude and out of line.  A character bubbling with cynicism, Olive does not strike me as particularly friendly or affable.  Prone to “stormy moods”, Olive frequently lashed out at her husband and neighbors (84).  So much so, Henry felt a “sickening need” for compassionate love from another woman, Denise (29).  The desperate diction of “sickening” helps Strout construct logos, forming the argument that Olive’s abrasive tendencies push her close acquaintances away from her.  Olive says what comes to her mind, and because of that, she at times unknowingly creates relationship carnage.  Yet, her rigid demeanor and firm system of values have some positive externalities.  With an unflappable personality and a plethora of fierce convictions, the retired schoolteacher affected a number of students during her time as an educator.  Olive preached what she believed in and exuded a confidence that showed she accepted herself.  Remembering the “feeling of safety” Olive maintained in her classroom after talking to her, a distraught Kevin decided not to terminate his life (40).  Strout indirectly characterizes Olive as stalwart in order to present the assertion that a person’s strength can contagiously instill resilience in others.    The familiar self-assuredness of Olive made Kevin re-examine his life, with Olive acting as an important, if somewhat unorthodox, link to his past.  To me, Strout appears to underline the point that while “not everyone” who crossed paths with Olive had “liked her”, she still left an imprint in the minds of all those she met (34).  While Olive certainly has lessons to learn in amicability, the impact she has on others affirms my belief that her societal significance outweighs her infractions of decorum.