| Erich Segal was born 1937 in New York as the son of a
rabbi. He was a graduate of Harvard and wrote texts for musicals. Today he lives in New
Haven and is a professor for literature in New York. When ‘Love Story’ was published in 1970 it became a number one bestseller. The book was translated into 23 different languages. Over three million people saw the film when it came into the cinemas in the same year. This huge success inspired Segal to write a sequel in 1977 called ‘Oliverīs Story’, which was equally turned into a movie a year later, once again starring Ryan OīNeal as Oliver. |
Oliver Barrett IV is a 30 year-old young man, who has finished law school and works as a lawyer at Jonas & March in New York. In the previous book, ‘Love Story’, the readers are introduced in Oliver’s student life. He has got many mental differences and problems with his father (Oliver Barrett III). He marries a girl called Jenny Cavilleri. At the end of the novel she dies because of leukaemia. Oliver doesn’t’ want to meet anyone, his social life becomes empty and seems to be irretrievably destroyed…
Years have gone by. Oliver is still single. He often meets Phil (his father-in-law) and they do different things together. Phil’s favourite topic of conversation is to convince Oliver to remarry as soon as possible. But he is the only social contact he really has (apart from his parents with whom he had reconciled). Business is going well.
Then he meets a girl called Joanna Stein, but there is no real closer relationship developing between them.
Jogging through the park he later gets to know Marcie Binnendale (rich owner of a big clothing shop chain) and there is enormous passion coming up by the time. They begin to love each other. Oliver’s feelings have come back. He feels great and never wants to lose Marcie. The couple spends very much time together (they have different excursions, trips, sports, dinners, romantic evenings…). Everything seems splendid. But then well-known differences and problems happen between them, which do not come up immediately but develop and slowly and get more important by the time: Marcie is very busy and Oliver is very busy. She has to travel all around the world to present her collections. So they often cannot see each other for a week or even more, which is not too beneficial for their love.
On top of it Oliver learns (during a common travel to Hong Kong) that the Binnendales’ purveyors (which are employed by Marcie) employ very young children (and influence them to work). The adult workers agree upon sharing the pay if they all may work. All this is called sweatshop labour. Oliver - years ago - (still at Harvard) had learned that the Barretts’ money came from sweatshop labour, too (since then he had dissociated with the Barretts’ business). Because of this he separates (very painfully: "You are a cold and heartless bitch") from Marcie (as she finds this business practice normal: "Everyone does it.")
In the end Oliver becomes senior partner in his father’s company as his father is going to retire. He comes to the conclusion that he would be alive if Jenny were still alive (he feels physically dead)2.
1See ‘detailed summary’, chapter 8 for more information2 See ‘detailed summary’, epilogue for more
Since Oliver has stayed in touch with his
(former) father-in-law (Phil) and meets him once a month - either in Cranston or in New
York - they very well know each other. Phil comes to the conclusion that Oliver is
mentally sick. In his opinion the reason for this is that Oliver has not remarried.
That’s why he doesn’t stop trying to convince Oliver to marry again as soon as
possible.
But Oliver still grieves and suffers from the loss of Jenny. Because of this he tries to
find several excuses to get rid of Phil’s remarrying plans. Phil is not at all
willing to accept that. This is why he wants to - as he calls it – "make the
social scene" during his visit in New York.
Oliver gives us a flashback on Jenny’s
funeral and his former feelings from the immediate time afterwards. After spending New
Year’s Eve (Phil + Oliver) together they both go back to work (as they had promised
each other before).
Trying to avoid having to think of Jenny all day Oliver tries to work as much as possible
and to get home late.
One day he opens Jenny’s wardrobe and looks at all her clothing. After this he gets
the slight idea of moving into another flat, this is even strengthened by Phil, who says
that he wouldn’t visit Oliver until he would have moved. Oliver finds a new flat and
at once is more able to cope with his personal situation as a widower.
"Making the scene" begins: Phil and Oliver start spending an evening in a singlesī bar; they meet Jan - a beautiful young woman - and have dinner with her. Jan notices that Phil speaks of Oliver as his son-in-law and gets the impression that they are both married. But none tells her the true circumstances.
While jogging in the park - Oliver’s new hobby - he meets Stephen Simpson ‘64 (an old class mate) and is invited to dinner. Oliver says that he isn’t interested but in the end he does visit Stephen and his wife for supper. Thinking he will be the only guest he is very surprised that the Simpsons have invited a girl named Joanna Stein as well. Joanna turns out to be a very charming girl and gives two tickets for "Dido and Aeneas" (Opera) to Oliver and Stephen’s wife (Gwen). Oliver confesses to himself that he would be lying when thinking that he didn’t like meeting "Jo".
Oliver and Gwen spend an evening at the New York Opera and meet Joanna’s parents who seem to be quite nice. Mr Stein invites the Simpsons and Oliver to come for tea. As the Simpsons cannot come because of Stephen’s birthday Oliver goes alone.
The visit at the Steins is coming closer.
As Oliver does not manage to find any urgent things to do and no other excuses he finally
makes up his mind and leaves home (his social life is still smaller than zero). He is very
surprised when realizing that there are 12 more guests whom Mr Stein calls the music
mafiosi (they meet every Sunday to play music in a little orchestra). They all turn out to
be very nice. Then comes Oliver’s scene. The Steins’ neighbour and some of his
friends complain about the noisy concert, but Oliver tells him how many paragraphs they
are violating and that he will beat up the gang if they do not recognize that they are in
fact acting in a criminal way by disturbing them.
Oliver notices that he really likes the Steins and when he says that he likes the meeting
very much he is not even lying. While taking Joanna home he realizes that she is adorable.
When they get home Jo asks Oliver to spend the night in her flat. Oliver doesn’t want
to, but promises that he will do so one day. He feels that he needs to have a session with
a psychiatrist.
Oliver introduces himself to the psychiatrist and tells him that for 18 months he has had no personal feelings at all. He is not sure but thinks of guilt as the reason (Guilt being responsible for Jenny’s death). Mr London - the psychiatrist - promises Oliver to "spend some time on this" the next day.
Oliver explains to the doctor that Barrett Hall (a huge building donated to University of Harvard and built on the campus) was only built to get respectability in society. During his studies at Harvard Oliver got to know that the Barretts’ money actually wasn’t "clean". The reason for this is that in the 18th century the Barretts’ enterprise made its business by "sweatshop labour", which means paying one’s workers very little and forcing them to spend the income in own companies such as shops, banks etc. In this chapter we finally get to know a very important reason for Oliver’s distance to his father, Oliver Barrett III: The ancestors of Jenny’s parents were immigrants and workers for the Barretts.
When leaving the doctor’s office
Oliver is very angry about what he has found out, but he is happy that the doctor
didn’t ask for Joanna Stein. He comes to the conclusion that he didn’t
disclose any details of the relationship to his psychiatrist and Mr London didn’t ask
intensively.
While running through Central Park he meets a girl called Marcie who is physically
fit and well trained, Oliver introduces himself as Pancho B. Gonzales. They agree to meet
the next morning for a tennis match.
Oliver on purpose puts on his worst and shabby looking clothes for the game. Marcie and Oliver agree upon inviting the other one to dinner as the stake (price) for the winner. Oliver in the beginning deliberately plays not as well as he could have done. Then he proposes a last decisive game, which he wins by playing like a real tennis pro. He also tells her his real name.
Oliver meets Marcie at the ‘21’ restaurant, he is impressed by the overwhelming dress she is wearing. Oliver notices that Marcie seems to be very rich as she has her own account at ‘21’. Oliver talks a lot about his work but not too much about himself and his personality. But still Marcie gets to know that Oliver has been married and that Jenny died. Marcie has also been married but was divorced soon. After their meal they go home by taxi. Oliver is feeling very puzzled because he doesn’t know who Marcie really is. She even knows his address, although Oliver has never told her. They date for a tennis meeting the Tuesday after.
Oliver speaks about his relation to Marcie with Dr London and comes to the conclusion that Marcie is having the whip hand. Oliver’s secretary cannot not find Marcie in whole of Cleveland where she has told him to be during the following week. He thinks that she lies to him and that she (still) lives with that guy whom she calls her former husband.
Marcie and Oliver meet for the tennis match. The night before at 1 a.m. Marcie called him to confirm whether he would be playing her or not. Oliver is really annoyed when speaking to her (as she has woken him up). Somehow he doesn’t dare to tell Marcie what is really bothering him. Marcie invites Oliver for another supper. Oliver wants to pick her up for dinner this time (last time she did), but she still doesn’t want to tell him where she lives.
Oliver talks about a law case he has
recently won to Mr London.
Marcie gives a red cashmere sweater to Oliver when they meet for their second dinner. He
even lets her drive his Porsche. Oliver decides on deducing Marcie to find out the truth
(who she was and why she didn’t tell him), but after some time he asks himself
whether he will be able and whether it would be good to act in such a way.
Marcie has chosen a lonely chalet for their dinner and even booked a bedroom. This time Oliver manages to talk about what’s worrying (his grief and that he doesn’t know who Marcie really is) him. Marcie tries to tell him the truth (that she is the owner of Binnendale’s), but Oliver does not really trust her. They begin an argument and Oliver leaves the place willing to forget Marcie forever.
Oliver talks to Dr London about the previous incidents. He is very confused, as he really doesn’t know what he is scared of. In the end he finds out for himself that he has to set back his memories to Jenny and that he must find Marcie wherever she was.
Oliver has got some ideas where to find Marcie: At Binnedale’s, at the ‘21’ and finally at the tennis club where he now plays every morning with Steve. But none of these searches brought success (seeing Marcie again). Oliver remembers the big argument (the problem was whether they would go to Mr Barrett’s birthday – Jenny wanted to but Oliver did not. He had ripped the telephone out of her hand. Jenny left and Oliver didn’t find her all day.) he had with Jenny once and is rather surprised that he searches Marcie as he searched Jenny that day.
Three weeks have gone by but Oliver still hasn’t had any contact with Marcie although he all the time has tried to find her. One day he finally decides to close the "Marcie case". The same day she calls him and they meet at Binnendale’s, which turns out to be Marcie’s enterprise. They both don’t really know what to say; in the end they leave Marcie’s office (Oliver now knows that her office is the floor at the top of Binnendale’s) to go for lunch.
Oliver and Marcie enjoy an extensive and comfortable meal during which they both establish that they had problems with their father and a comparable childhood. After that they spend the night together in a hotel. The day after Oliver feels bad because - as he says - he didn’t think of Jenny during the previous evening with Marcie.
Oliver and Marcie spend the night at a castle (!) of hers near London and make up a date for supper the next day. When entering his office, Oliver finds it all decorated with all sorts of flowers. His whole desk is covered with roses. Oliver falls asleep leaning on his desk. He has even forgotten the meeting about a case with his boss.
Having passed a dozen of security controls, Oliver reaches Marcie’s apartment, which turns out to be a huge mansion. They have a tremendous dinner and talk a lot about themselves. Thereafter they leave for the bedroom. The morning after they have breakfast and Oliver leaves for New York. They agree upon 5 o’ clock the next day for jogging at Central Park.
Oliver asks himself whether he could accept responsibility (risk: He lives in a small flat, Marcie is used to living in huge and pompous places) for taking Marcie to "his place" and comes to the conclusion that he could.
Oliver finally shows "his place" to Marcie when coming home from jogging. They have some conversation about Marcie’s business. Then they both sleep in Oliver’s flat. We get to know that Marcie is completely unable to do any kitchen work. During the evening Phil calls and as Marcie at first answers the telephone he then asks a lot of questions to Oliver ("Who is she?", "When will you marry her?", "What’s her name?"…) which he can only satisfy with lousy excuses ("It’s just the maid."…). Marcie is quite amused about her badly lying boyfriend.
Time goes by. Marcie and Oliver spend a lot
of time with each other. Marcie often has to leave New York and to attend different
conferences in the whole world and Oliver sometimes has to go to Washington and other
places. So they’re both alone at some time.
Oliver thinks about Marcie that she was a real conversation-stopper, which means that she
talks so much that other people don’t manage to say a word.
The couple has dinner with the Simpsons (they’re invited); Marcie does talk much
about everything that becomes a topic. Some days after Steve asks Oliver what is wrong
with Marcie. As Oliver answers that she is doing all right Steve tells him that Marcie is
absolutely perfect.
Everything is going well concerning Marcie’s and Oliver’s relationship. They play tennis competitions together, very successfully. But still Oliver is confused and doesn’t know what is missing for an overwhelming and marvellous situation. Dr London and Oliver find out that it is maybe that they don’t talk to each other as he did with Jenny. They use proper well-mannered language (rough speaking characterized the relation with Jenny). Marcie has hidden the fact of being very rich as she is scared of being dated and "loved" because of her money.
The couple has to separate for 11 days, as
Marcie needs to attend several meetings. They both suffer enormously and telephone a lot
and do a countdown till they will meet again. Oliver has to join some political
demonstrations in the streets for business matter (He has to defend some people who join
them).
Oliver’s father calls and reminds Oliver of a meeting they will have soon (one of the
four family actions per year).
Oliver and his father meet at the annual Harvard vs. Yale competitions. The actual interest does not lie on the defeat of Harvard, but on the question whether Oliver will become a new senior partner in his fatherīs company (financing projects, firms, enterprises etc., very successful!), as O.B. III will retire in 3 years time. Oliver is quite "declined" as he says.
Phil calls again and again and again. And every time he asks Oliver when he will finally marry Marcie. Oliver has invited Phil to spend Thanksgiving with Marcie and him. Phil does all the cooking and while he and Oliver are waiting for Marcie to come she calls and turns them down. Phil tells Oliver to organize a Gideon laying on Marcie’s bed when she will enter her hotel.
Oliver is very confused about the unusual and frequent absence of Marcie. Together with Dr London he decides to go to Denver where Marcie is staying at the moment.
Oliver prepares his colleague, Barry, for a
law suite which he himself cannot attend as he will "be the friend" for Marcie
(and go to Denver – see chapter before).
Marcie is quite surprised when Oliver appears during her meeting, as he hadn’t told
her that he would come. She has to work and tells him that it will take a long time until
she will meet him. At Midnight she finally appears, completely exhausted, they both fall
asleep immediately.
Oliver dreams of an excursion with his girlfriend and in the morning his dream comes true:
They go skiing in the Rocky Mountains. When they finish skiing Oliver proposes to her to
sell all her shops (Binnendale’s sells different garments all over the world) to have
a better atmosphere between them. She is shocked but she also understands his arguments.
They go back to New York together and not - as Oliver wanted - to Oliver’s "basement" but to another "new" flat of Marcie’s. This flat is completely equipped and even has two offices for them. Oliver feels overpowered and is at all happy. They decide on spending Christmas with Oliver’s parents.
Chapter 32
Oliver Barrett III and his wife Alison find Marcie very charming. Oliver and Marcie join a group of carol singers (singing Christmas songs for the neighbours) and dine with Oliver’s parents. The big surprise are Marcie’s well chosen gifts to everyone. They all enjoy Christmas. Marcie and Mrs Barrett have a walk, Oliver IV and III have theirs. O.B. tells his son that he rather likes Marcie and asks him whether there is a problem (noticing that there was).
Marcie wants to know whether the Barretts liked her or not. Oliver assures that they absolutely did. The couple talks about their future and the situation of them. Marcie suggests to make a trip together to Hong-Kong and Hawaii as a kind of honeymoon.
Hong Kong: John Hsiang - an employee of Marcie - becomes kind of tourist guide for Oliver. As Oliver wants to see some Binnendale’s factories - while Marcie takes her 4-day working they agreed upon - which turn out to be sweatshops (see Chapter 8 for explanation)! The supervisor of the factory shows the working conditions and employees to John and Oliver. One of them turns out to be a ten year-old girl with a false I.D., the entire social system in Asia enrages Oliver. He can’t understand why people send their children to work. Being rather irritated he gets out of John’s car.
Oliver and Marcie meet in the evening. Oliver doesn’t reflect the friendly behaviour of Marcie. Instead he directly confronts her by saying: "You’re employing ten year-old girls in your sweatshops!" Nor does he accept her excuse that everybody does it. Marcie thinks he is looking for a good reason to separate from her. She hurts Oliver very much by supposing that he still can’t get over the death of Jenny. Oliver leaves the apartment (Marcie cries and tells him that she needs him).
Oliver meets with Joanna Stein for lunch
and gets to know that she is about to marry. Steve and Gwen Simspon have become proud
parents.
The Barretts celebrate O.B. III’s sixty-fifth birthday. A guy called Jamie tells
Oliver what a great man his father is (what he has done for the workers).
Oliver sees that he could never love New York again. He asks himself whether he only moved
to New York to see his family with different eyes. Oliver decides to join Barrett, Ward
and Seymour (his father’s firm, located in Boston). "I’ve tried so many
things so far, just to avoid confronting who I am. And I am Oliver Barrett. The
Fourth."
Five years later Oliver has familiarized with Barrett, Ward and Seymour. His job is to finance different enterprises. He has kept in touch with Phil. From the Financial Times he learns that Marcie has remarried. Oliver falls into a philosophical monologue and asks himself how he would be if Jenny were still alive. The answer he gives himself is that he then also would be alive (vague phrase, hazy answer. Not clearly expressed by Mr Segal; leaves room for the reader to find his own response.).
- What’s similar?
- Firstly: Oliver hasn’t changed very much. He is still the rough firm character we know from ‘Love Story’.
- Secondly, there is the same background for the scenes. The story still happens in New York.
- The book is written from the same point of view (Oliver’s thoughts).
- Oliver’s philosophical thoughts are still in the foreground.
- The language style is the same in both books. - What’s different?
- (In contradiction to the first ‘similar point’) Oliver’s feelings
have changed. Rather they’ve disappeared, as he says himself. - What book aroused more attention from the reader?
Well, Oliver’s story. Having read the first five chapters the book made me
quickly go on reading. Although the writing style (vocabulary for same skill) is the same,
reading is much easier. Maybe it’s because I already knew the first part? But I think
that mainly it’s because I wanted to know, how the story would go on.
- There are two girls that Oliver begins to like (Marcie rather than Joanna).
At first you’d rather say ‘yes’. Oliver gets to know a very nice girl (Marcie) they love each other very much. Oliver has overcome his grief and his (social) life is back. And then: The insurmountable differences come up and destroy the marvellous feelings Oliver had during the past 2 years. He’s single again. Lonely. A one-way street.
But then you might change your mind: Difficulties with Oliver Barrett III had destroyed the father-son relation (which was slightly repaired after Jenny’s death). We learn that the origin of the Barretts’ money stems from sweatshop labour. Oliver completely disagrees with that. That’s why the situation in Hong Kong escalated. At that moment it’s when these ‘insurmountable differences’ come up again. Oliver has stuck to his principles.
So, good ending, semi-bad ending? (Depends on the reader.)
Đ2002 - Gymnasium Steglitz, Berlin