Mule Like

Brown. Such an ugly word. Stubborn, unchanging, steadfast, and beautiful. These words come to my mind when I think of the color brown, because no matter what color one adds to brown (excessive amounts excluded) it will not change. Perhaps become a shade lighter or darker, but in essence, will not change. The reason I identify Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout with brown stems from the fact that I have never seen a more stubborn and steadfast group of characters! Henry, Olive, Harmon, Christopher, Ann, the Larkins... they all remain set in their ways! For example, Strout indirectly characterizes Olive as unchanging for she has "sharp opinions" (11). This remains constant throughout surfacing again when Olive refuses to acknowledge she shares in the blame and accuses Chris through harsh diction of "You haven't...!" (230). I demonstrate this "brownness" with Olive however the same holds true for all the characters. This brings me to the final word I think of with brown which is beautiful. There is something magical about remaining true to oneself. If I took the route of a skeptic, I would say that the times of the work attributed to the character's personalities however I want to accredit the author, Ms. Strout. In her calm, methodical, never changing style I believe she put some of herself into the work subconsciously. If I were a betting man, I would wager that Elizabeth Strout rarely waivers in her steadfast opinions - a trait I very much admire and attempt to emulate.

Mom am I Allowed to go to the Restroom?

As teenagers I am sure my peers can identify with the feeling that their parents oppress or "over-protect" them at times hindering their social lives. Some parents do this better than others, but I have never seen, heard, or experienced someone as good at keeping their child on lockdown as well as Olive Kitteridge. In fact I honestly do not understand what compels Olive to take every decision Christopher makes as a personal attack against herself. For example, when Chris moves to California Olive takes it so far as to call him a "stranger" to the family (145). The negative connotations behind "stranger" simply build my case that Olive primarily seeks personal gain out of her son's life in the form of grandchildren (80). She completely overreacts to the news and cannot grasp that he simply wants a better life with his newfound wife in a place where he does not have to worry about his mother analyzing every decision he makes. I applaud her husband Henry however, for he foils Olive and simply asserts that the coastline is his home, and therefore, someday he will come home. I beg that Olive adopts Henry's "live and let live" attitude for it will only help find greater peace for herself and others. Yet for now, if Christopher remained living near his parents, he may still have to ask his mother for permission to use the restroom.

-Rabindranath

Blame it on the A-a-a-a-a-adolescents!

At long last when on page 80, I found a character who had views similar to my own. A man that believes in people, a man that burdens his share of the blame and does not thrust it upon others, and a man that willingly accepts his role within society. Strout names said character, Harmon, and paints him in a very positive light throughout the novel. The event that struck me so clearly however, occurs when Harmon speaks about "young people" (80). The kind diction "young" sheds light upon his understanding that they may make mistakes yet his belief that the world unfairly blames them as the cause for "steering the world to hell" (80). He refutes this mainstream assertion by claiming "it's never true" (80). I have conflicting emotions about this section for the common belief that young people are in the wrong infuriates me because I beg the question... Who raised us??! How can you attack our actions when YOU and YOUR "elder and wiser" peers provided the example on how to speak, act, and live. Simultaneously however I am overjoyed by Harmon's characterization of adolescents as "hopeful and good" (80). I concur! I am very glad Strout at least includes this minimal positive light on the younger generation for I am of the opinion that she too sees the new generation as the downfall of the planet. Earlier on Strout writes of how Olive's son Christopher does not have any friends yet Olive is glad because "you can't trust folks" (68). Her obvious reference to people his age appalls me and forces me to question the bias behind the story. Thank you Harmon for sticking up for us.

-Rabindranath