Olive Kitteridge Questions and Answers
Olive Kitteridge
Does the chapter "Ship in a Bottle" in Olive Kitteridge contain incest?
The passage about incest is so ambiguous that it could be read in two ways. But there's a safer reading that doesn't suggest incest.
Olive Kitteridge
What is a close reading of the "Incoming Tide" chapter in Olive Kitteridge?
As the chapter opens, the narrator employs imagery—description using the senses of sight, sound, taste, touch, or smell—to show the threatening nature of the incoming tide. We learn there are...
Olive Kitteridge
What is the theme statement in the novel Olive Kitteridge?
The main theme of Olive Kitteridge is the complexity of human flaws and the universal need for love and connection. Through interconnected stories, the novel portrays characters, especially Olive, as...
Olive Kitteridge
What is a major conflict in Olive Kitteridge and how does the protagonist handle it?
The main conflict faced by Olive Kitteridge is her difficulty in connecting with other people. In particular, she has trouble finding love and acceptance from her son and his wife, her husband Henry,...
Olive Kitteridge
Overview of Olive Kitteridge's character and the novel
Olive Kitteridge is a retired school teacher living in a small town in Maine. The novel, Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout, portrays her as a complex, often abrasive woman who deeply affects...
Olive Kitteridge
How is the church symbolized in Olive Kitteridge?
The church in Olive Kitteridge could symbolize Olive’s staunch, stringent personality. She is too singular and harsh to do something as common as accompany her husband to church. The church could...