When I read this book for the first time, I was very disappointed. I didn't understand why the author wrote such a heroine. Olive was mean and irritable, and she refused to apologize and all useless hypocrisy; her husband Henry was a pretentious, The number one good gentleman of grandstanding; they did not pursue absolute loyalty in their marriages, at least they were more or less separated from each other; even most of the people in the story's love, marriage, and family life are just like chicken feathers, as if each
People are trapped in the trivialities of life, leaving only the short-lived happy life in their minds.
What kind of woman is Olive Kitteridge?
Although Olive appeared only a few times in the words slowly narrating trivial matters, it is not difficult to find her image: almost harsh to her son, and her language is acerbic (describe Denise Thibodeau as a person who can't stand alone. straight mouse), gloomy temper, etc.
Perhaps it was the taste of reality in her marriage with Olive. Olive's husband, Henry Kitteridge, was full of longing for the married life of the young Thibodeau couple. This way of describing it reminds me of the contrast between Kitty and Konstantin Levin and Anna and Vronsky in "Anna Karenina" I read many years ago.
Henry Kitteridge misses the scene from the early morning: the world seemed to be his only, and the bitter cold of winter he loved. It feels like there's been an internet survey of men who prefer to sit in their car and listen to music after get off work rather than go home right away. In social life, always leave some private time for yourself to save souls lost in trivial families and complicated work.
But gradually he had mixed feelings towards Olive. At the wedding of her son Christopher Kitteridge, she felt a sense of terrified powerlessness. Faced with the fact that her daughter-in-law Suzanne, who she didn't even know Morning Glory, took over the house that she had carefully maintained for many years, Olive thought generously: Sooner or later, you have to step aside and make way for the newcomer. But overhearing Susannah taunting her well-chosen dress and talking about her well-cared-for son having a rough time because of her expectations, Olive takes revenge on the self-righteous Susannah childishly: with The marker doodles on Susannah's beige top, steals a bra, and takes only one shoe.
Many are homeless, although they still have a home to go to.
Each of us is a complex, and this is a side view of Olive's story. Psychiatrist Kevin drives alone back to his childhood town by the sea. He originally planned to return to the house where he lived as a child to end his life with a rifle, but he encounters Olive who inadvertently breaks in. In places that others can't see, Olive quietly shows concern and kindness to the world around her.
In Olive's babbling words, she is like "an innocent and lovely elephant who intends to join the human kingdom", carefully using the fact that her father who committed suicide due to depression and her son who also suffers from depression are still working to comfort her mother because of her illness. Kevin, who committed suicide due to bipolar disorder, ended his relationship and fell into a pessimistic mood, in those chatter with little forewords, Kevin went from disgusting Olive to expecting Olive to stay away.
The most amazing thing about the way this story is written is that the author doesn't directly describe Kevin's changing attitude towards life. But using Kevin to rescue Patty, who had been repeatedly miscarried from the sea, Patty's very tight hand has already made him feel how much she wants to persevere in the face of this crazy, nonsense, and unreasonable world. live.
Like an old Olive: the world has frustrated her, but she doesn't want to leave.
Maybe life is like this, and by the time you understand it, it's too late.
There are many romances in this world, and some of them are love but not. Some people turn around and start a new life, while others are obsessed with a wrong relationship and consume half their lives.
Angie, a pianist who fell in love with Simon who played the piano. Angie's habit of playing intermittently because of stage fright was interrupted this evening, a man who tugged at her heartstrings. This obsessive choice of a lifetime in a relationship makes An Qi feel that people will use "sad" to describe herself.
The appearance of Simon made An Qi mess up, but in the music, An Qi also realized a lot of things: "She realized that if at this age, Simon still needs to tell her that he has pitied her for so many years, then It just shows how disappointed and frustrated he was. She realized that as he drove down the coast back to Boston and back to his wife with whom he had three children, there was something inside him that he had witnessed. She was satisfied with her tonight. She also realized that many people actually need this form of comfort. But this form of nourishment is like skimmed milk, and it can't change the fact that you once wanted to be a piano A virtuoso who turned out to be a real estate lawyer; you took a wife and lived with her for thirty years and she never found you attractive in bed."
It was a relief for An Qi to meet again after a long absence.
In his opinion, women are far braver than men.
In describing the contradiction between Olive and her daughter-in-law, the author has always used the metaphorical expression of the dialogue between Susannah who knows nothing about flowers and Olive who likes to take care of flowers. After Christopher and Suzanne moved out of their hometown, Olive felt that she and her beloved son were finally drifting apart.
It didn't take long for Henry to become blind, a wheelchair-bound elderly man in a nursing home who needed to be cared for because of his illness.
Olive's expected son didn't become her assistant to help take care of Henry, or even give her more emotional comfort.
Falling into an abyss of life, people will seek out partners who are also struggling in the abyss in order to gain psychological empathy. Trapped in the predicament of taking care of her husband alone, Olive goes to visit Louise, who has gone deep into the community because of her son's murder. But it turns out that Louise, who was tortured by life and irrational, took the initiative to contact Olive, but it was for the sake of a dose of schadenfreude.
Relying on the misfortune of others to heal oneself is a wrong choice, and relying on the help of others for salvation is also a wrong choice.
Olive is actually a strong person on the outside, gentle and delicate on the inside, just quietly showing kindness and care. In the face of incomprehensible situations, her poor expression also made her emotionally capricious, which led to a greater misunderstanding with her son. Olive was deeply insulted when she came home to find that no one had reminded her of a long creamy smudge on her blue cotton shirt. She has finally reached a sad old age.
If you are also living in such triviality and hope, how can you not love "Olive".
View more about Olive Kitteridge reviews
