Tymeirah Hayes
February 21, 2020
The reading that I would like to focus on is Elizabeth Strout’s “Olive Kitteridge.”
We all know that sometimes it’s the simple things that can mean the most to us. In the beginning of the story, the character, Henry Kitteridge reminds us of that. In the first paragraph we are introduced to Henry Kitteridge, and given insight of the pleasantries in his world. For example, in the text it states, “Retired now, he still wakes early and remembers how mornings used to be his favorite… the world were his secret, tires rumbling softly beneath him and the light emerging through the early fog, the brief sight of the bay off to his right, then the pines, tall and slender, and almost always he rode with the window partly open because he loved the smell of the pines and the heavy salt air, and in the winter he loved the smell of the cold,” which highlights that Henry Kitteridge found joy and loved the simple things in his life. Those simple things were sacred to him and fulfilled him in a way. I say that to say this piece of the text was the first to grab my attention. The reason being because I see a lot of myself in Henry Kitteridge at this point in the story. Reason being because Henry Kitteridge has mastered something that I look to master, and am sure others seek to master as well. The elements pointed out in this story are the power of simplicity and the power to find happiness in random places. For instance, in Henry Kitteridge case, he finds his joy in his short journey to work in the morning, and all the little details he notices during that time like the trees, his tires, the fog, the cold etc.
I say this to say, often times many people find themselves taking things such as those for granted. Infact, for most it can become boring and meaningless to them. However, Henry Kitteridge has found solace in his small journey to work, and has decided to not only take in, but to appreciate those small things. Allowing them to make him happy, and giving himself that space to let that be what these things mean for him. Many people fail to find the beauty in the simple things that life has to offer. So much so, that they let those small things make them more angry, or irritable rather than happy. Moreover, this small trip Henry Kitteridge is taking full of all these simple, common things, allows him a small chance to be stuck in time. The meager trip to work gives him not only great pleasure, but also the opportunity to enjoy time with himself. Most people struggle with this. To allow appreciation to turn into pleasure, or even happiness. Instead of people reading this being excited because Henry Kitteridge has nice cars or a fancy life, they are instead forced to take notice with how happy he is in such a small, simple moment.
Coming to Age 