A Man Called Ove

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2012

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Themes

Distrust of Technology

The very opening of the book shows Ove’s distrust of technology, as he treats tech products like the “McBook” (3) with total suspicion. The topic repeatedly arises, for instance, when it’s revealed how resistant he is to pay with anything but cash. This distrust of what is new and innovative reflects Ove’s resistance to change. He clings to his old life with Sonja and his old routines, which is exactly what makes it so hard for him to adapt and move on in the wake of her death.

By the end of the book, Ove’s distrust has faded. He buys the 7-year-old an iPad for her birthday, for instance, and even gets his own phone. Additionally, in the war with the councilman, it’s technology that saves the day: When the councilman asks where they got all his private information, Ove responds, “On the InterNET!” (264). This evolving relationship with technology reflects how Ove, once resistant to change, has managed to finally adapt to his new circumstances.

Fear of the “Other”

Ove is initially fearful and distrustful of outsiders. He eyes Parvaneh with wariness, referring to her initially only as the “Pregnant Foreign Woman” (28) and telling Sonja things like: “The new neighbors put saffron in their rice and carry on like that; they’re foreigners” (31). He seems dubious of others who are different from him.

Ironically, however, Ove is always the one who is “other.” He is the ultimate outsider, at odds with the world. Quiet and anti-social, he’s an outsider in his very first job with the railway as well as at his construction job. He’s even an outsider in his own neighborhood. This was true even in the past: As a youth in his parent’s home, he was pushed out of the gentrifying area: “Suits prefer to live in the vicinity of other suits” (77). Ultimately, one of the strongest bonds Ove forms after Sonja’s death is with Parvaneh, herself an “other” in Sweden—a foreigner.

The Importance of Purpose in Life

One’s purpose in life is a red thread running through the text, paralleling Ove’s wish for suicide. Even after her accident and discovering her inability to have children, Sonja found purpose in teaching. Ove found purpose in Sonja: “She fought for her students, which replaced the children she could never have […] And Ove fought for her. Because that was the only thing in this world he really knew” (180). With the death of his wife and in no longer having a purpose, Ove does not want to live. Parvaneh recognizes this and gives him little tasks—bleeding radiators, caring for the cat, etc. She wants him to feel useful. Although these smaller tasks can’t add up to replacing the purpose that was Sonja, Ove busies himself with helping others in the neighborhood.

Paternal relationships are also significant, as Ove predominantly grew up without his mother and lost his own unborn child. In lieu of traditional fatherhood, Ove helps guide the younger men in his life, such as Jimmy, Adrian, and Mirsad. By the novel’s close, Ove has become a grandfather figure to Parvaneh’s young children, cementing Ove’s purpose as both a dependable neighbor and family figure.

Rules Versus What’s Right

The book repeatedly emphasizes that what’s “right” isn’t always in moral accordance with the rules. Ove’s firm believe in principles and “what’s right is right” often doesn’t gel with the rules of polite society as well as the actual laws. This becomes painfully evident in the situation with Anita and Rune. According to the rules, Rune should relocate to a care home, despite his wife’s adamant protests to the contrary. This injustice fuels Ove’s campaign to assist Anita and Rune, subsequently drawing together other like-minded individuals in the neighborhood.

Throughout his life, authority or bureaucratic figures repeatedly tell Ove that “rules are rules,” despite what Ove considers the correct course of action: His family home burns due to bureaucracy; the army prohibits his enrollment; and Sonja does not receive justice in the wake of the bus accident. Despite Ove’s love of order and routine, he rallies against rules that violate his “principles” and innate moral compass.