Kariviittoja

About this book

Kariviittoja by Aatto Suppanen is a domestic realist novella written in the late 19th century. The book portrays a young couple learning to steer their marriage through everyday “reefs”: overwork, miscommunication, money worries, and jealousy in a small Finnish town.

The story follows journalist–translator Lauri Valju and his wife Alli, whose quiet home life is repeatedly tested by small but stinging misunderstandings. A late-night scene of hurt feelings leads them to pledge complete openness. Years pass: children arrive, work crowds Lauri’s days, and a hired scribe’s presence sparks Alli’s painful outburst when Lauri corrects her in front of others; they settle the matter with tenderness and clearer boundaries. At New Year, mounting financial anxiety drives Lauri to despair until Alli proposes a strict household budget that restores hope. The hardest trial comes when they hire a governess, Miss Salmela: lively companionship and a day of skating kindle Alli’s jealousy, deepened by a calling card she misreads. Patient explanation—tracing the card to Lauri’s old tutoring days—dispels the fear. Each episode ends in reconciliation, showing how honesty, patience, and shared purpose keep the marriage off the rocks.