Hannah Coulter

“His story after the war, and especially after 1948, I know because it is my story too. It is our story, for I lived it with him.”

This passage reveals the connection between Hannah and Nathan, emphasizing that marriage and shared life are not just about proximity, but about becoming intertwined in purpose and identity. By claiming Nathan’s post-war story as her own, Hannah affirms the physical and spiritual union they forged through their shared labor, grief, and joys on the farm. Hannah’s use of the word “lived” reflects Berry’s emphasis on embodiment—his view of love as enacted through daily acts of fidelity, and storytelling as a form of preservation and witness that allows Hannah to carry Nathan forward through her voice and memory.

“[I] learned about grief, and about the absence and emptiness that for a long time make grief unforgettable.”

At an early age, grief becomes a formative presence in Hannah’s life. Her reflection depicts grief not simply as sadness, but as a haunting absence and a daily reminder of what has been lost. Grief, for her, is a painful teacher that leaves lasting impressions. Love, once gone, leaves behind a space that cannot be filled, only honored. Over time, Berry suggests, Hannah’s grief deepens her capacity for love and resilience.

“She was like an old ewe with one lamb.”

Berry uses figurative language to describe Grandmam’s protective role in Hannah’s life. Comparing Grandmam to an old sheep evokes the image of a seasoned, maternal figure, weary yet devoted to the vulnerable life in her care.