Dialogue Between Henry And Olive Summary

Soon after, we see the first two exchanges in dialogue between he and Olive. The dialogue between them is from this past time, too. It shows readers what Henry acts like when interacting with his wife. However, this is the man Olive sees frequently. On page five, after Olive learns Henry has hired Denise to work at the pharmacy the conversation between them reads: “‘Mousy,’ his wife said, when he hired the new girl. ‘Looks just like a mouse.’... ‘But a nice mouse,’ Henry said. ‘A cute one’” (Strout). On the next page, a few days passing between this first conversation, we have both: indirect interior monologue and dialogue: “‘Olive,’ he said, walking to her. He wanted to put his arms around her, but she had a darkness that seemed to stand …show more content…
There are small moments, small exchanges between the two that at first may make readers question why they are included in the story at all. Yet, these small moments are extremely important. For what often follows is indirect interior monologue that contrasts greatly with the quick moment of dialogue. These calm exchanges between Henry and Olive also further the idea that they see one another as static, always, instead of the complex person we know. A good example of such moment is on page 15. At this point in the story, time has jumped ahead again. Henry is retired from the pharmacy, as is Olive from teaching. Readers do not yet know what happened to Denise’s husband or Denise herself. Again, this moment passes by quickly, but the juxtaposition of the dialogue and the indirect interior monologue is telling and should receive close attention. When Henry gets ready to leave the house for Sunday church service the conversation reads: “‘Bring home the gossip,’ Olive says to him… ‘Do my best,’ he says” (Strou 15). Then, on the same page, the next paragraph, we read, “In fact, only a handful of the congregation goes to church regularly anymore. This saddens Henry, and worries him...What worries Henry about the paucity of the congregation is that perhaps others have felt what he increasingly tries to deny— that this weekly gathering provides him with no real sense of comfort...Olive herself has become and unapologetic atheist. He doesn't know when this happened” (Strout 15). In the first part of this example, Olive’s comment is strange and perhaps humorous to some. She is telling her husband to bring home gossip when he is supposed to be somewhere holy, practicing holiness. However, look what Henry says back: ‘Do my best.’ What this line seems to tell us is that Henry chooses the easy way out. He says what Olive expects. He keeps things simple, does not refute and ask her to