Oh, William! Summary
Elizabeth Strout

Oh, William! Overview

Oh William! is a novel by Elizabeth Strout. The first-person narrator, Lucy Barton, is reluctant to grieve her second husband David's death. Afraid and ashamed of her own emotions, she avoids her feelings and describes her first husband William's sorrows instead. Though she and William have been divorced for many years, they continue relying on one another for comfort and familiarity. Lucy fills the space David has left in her life by caring for William. Over the course of the novel, Lucy must learn how to confront the truth of her sorrow and distress in order to embrace personal growth. The novel explores themes such as grief, codependency, and fear.