Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove: Role of Community in Piecing Ove Together

This research paper plunges into the celebrated Swedish novel A Man Called Ove (2012) by Fredrik Backman, translated into English by Henning Koch in 2014. The paper aims to highlight the role of community in healing and helping an individual to cope with losses and adversities in life. Ove, the protagonist, is heartbroken at the death of his wife. To make matters worse, his office forces him to retire early. Having nothing to live for, he tries various methods of suicide. However, his life begins to change with the arrival of his new neighbour, Parvaneh and her family. Parvaneh invites herself into Ove’s life and he has no other option but to accept her unsolicited entry begrudgingly. She gradually knits their community together and builds a close network of people who can rely on each other.