“These deprivations never leave us”

One of my favorite lessons for the ESL classroom teaches students about intonation. Students are given a simple word (such as “hello”) and then asked to say the word…

to their boss

to their best friend

to an attractive person at a bar

to a six-month old baby

In case you were wondering, the way we talk to babies is universal.

This lesson came to mind as I read Eliabeth Strout’s novel Oh William! As the protagonist, Lucy, recounts stories about her first husband, William, she repeatedly ends the anecdote with “Oh William.” This simple phrase speaks volumes depending on the occasion. Lucy, a writer herself, adroitly uses the phrase to express surprise, annoyance, pity, empathy, sorrow, and disappointment.

If you haven’t read Strout’s other books about Lucy (My Name is Lucy Barton and Anything Is Possible), you’ll be able to follow the narrative. But if you have, her cryptic references to her childhood and relationship to her mother will make more sense.

Despite the oftentimes dark subject matter, when all is said and done, you’ll hear “Oh William!” spoken with delight.