Oscar Webster (オスカー・ウェブスター, Osukā Webusutā?) is a character in the Violet Evergarden series, and the protagonist of the first chapter of the first volume of the light novel. He is a playwright who used to seclude himself due to the deaths of his wife and daughter. However, after deciding to write his very first children's play to dedicate it to his daughter's memory, he entrusts Violet with the task of putting his ideas on paper.
Appearance
Oscar is a man in the prime of his life. He has unkempt red hair with a curl and wears thick, black-rimmed glasses over his olive-green eyes. His back is slightly hunched, but his face lends him an air of youthfulness.[1]
Personality
Oscar describes himself as a normal man with many quirks, and someone who is not fit to be the protagonist in any sort of story. After the deaths of his wife and daughter, he became severely depressed and even left his name in the industry. He also became lazy, dissolute, and grief-indulged. He was rather pessimistic and believes that humans are creatures that easily become tired of being sad or happy, and cannot continuously be either forever. He despised the ugly reality of the world, which is why he started drinking. However, thanks to the assistance of a doctor, he was able to overcome the alcohol and drugs but was left with a tremor in his hand.
Oscar kept to himself and was very secluded from the rest of the world. He did not read newspapers or magazines and rarely hung out with anyone. Other than his friends, the only people he had contact with were cashiers and deliverymen. He was very self-loathing and felt extremely guilty for being the only member of his family left alive, wishing instead to die along with them. Despite that, he has shown to be a responsible, supporting, and kind man with a playful side to him. He also deeply loved his wife and daughter when they were alive, as he was seen to be very selfless and would often put their happiness above his own. His family meant everything to him.
Although he wanted to get back to the writing industry again to honor Olivia's, his daughter's memory, he simply could not progress properly. The desire to write, however, had remained in his chest. Eventually, with the help of Violet, Oscar successfully writes a play and comes to terms with his daughter's death and that he is alive.[1] After recovering, Oscar returned to the playwright industry, now appearing as a happier man.[2]
History
At some point in his life, Oscar married his wife and together, they had one daughter, Olivia. The three lived a happy life together in a villa until Oscar's wife was diagnosed with an illness that caused her blood vessels to clot rapidly, resulting in her death. Moreover, it was hereditary, and his wife had inherited it from her father. At her funeral, one question had constantly echoed in Oscar’s head: “Why?” After the death of his wife, Oscar and Olivia moved to their summer home in Roswell and began living there. Although both of them were sad due to death of Oscar's wife, they helped each other out and remained happy. One day, Olivia saw a fountain that looked like an oasis, and on the water’s surface, leaves coming from the surroundings had been floating. She had commented on how pretty they were. She then promised her father that she would try crossing the lake close to their house by walking on the decayed leaves that fell on the water. Oscar states that he would wait as long as it would take.
Oscar's wife’s best friend was an auspicious person, and as he had lost spirit with the death of his wife, she had energetically taken care of him and his daughter. She would prepare warm meals for Oscar and braid Olivia's hair. Oscar thinks there may have been a bit of one-sided love involved. After learning that Olivia had inherited her mother's disease, they relied solely on famous and unmatched doctors, unlike when his wife had gone through the same hardship. They went from hospital to hospital, asking for help and gathering information for testing new drugs. In the end, the medics had given up and declared her as incurable.
Oscar and Olivia share a peaceful moment together.
Being on their own again after Oscar's wife's friend distanced herself from the two, Oscar had an argument with one of the doctors so that Olivia could come back home and take nothing but painkillers.
From then on, there had been a little bit of peace, and Oscar saw his daughter smile for the first time in a while. After Olivia passed away in their home, Oscar buried her in the same cemetery as his wife. He then quietly resumed his life.[1]
Story
After years of mourning for his daughter and wife, Oscar had been approached by a colleague from his former job, who had asked him if he could write a screenplay again. For Oscar, a request from a theatre group that everyone admired was an honor. Oscar had accepted the offer with an immediate feedback, deciding to hold onto a pen once more. However, it was from then that his problem had started. Whether he wrote on paper or with a typewriter, he simply could not properly progress. As he had asked for advice from the old work colleague that had made him the request, the latter had told him to use an Auto Memories Doll.[1]
Oscar requests the use of a Doll, which tasks Violet to assist Oscar in writing his next play. However, she arrives to find him a drunk recluse. Violet manages to convince Oscar to suspend his drinking while they work, and they begin writing the play. The play is about a girl named Olive who uses her power to summon magical sprites to defeat a beast, but in doing so sacrifices her ability and becomes stranded away from her home and father. Violet becomes curious about how the story will end, which Oscar hasn't decided upon yet. Violet then finds a parasol, triggering an angry outburst from Oscar. He then admits to Violet that he based Olive off of his daughter Olivia, who had died from illness, and he is trying to write the play as a way to cope with his grief over her loss. Oscar then requests Violet to cross the lake close by walking on decayed leaves on the water, in order to get inspiration and to fulfill the promise he exchanged with his daughter in the past. In doing so, Violet inspires Oscar with the idea of Olive using her magical parasol to fly home to her father. Oscar then comes to terms with his daughter's death and thanks Violet, successfully creating a play with a happy ending.[3]
Oscar is later seen to have returned to the industry and is now working hard to make a real play out of his story script about Olive.[2]
Relationships
- Wife - Oscar loves his wife deeply and describes her as his most precious person. He had first met her before becoming a playwright, and their meetings took place in a library that he frequently visited. The one who had first noticed her was Oscar himself, and he thought that she was a really beautiful person. He eventually fell in love with her, and his feelings were reciprocated. They married, had a child together and lived a happy life until her death. Oscar became completely devastated by her death and had been questioning why she had to die hundreds of million times. Even after her death, Oscar wears his wedding ring and often thinks back to her.[1]
- Olivia Webster - Oscar's most beloved daughter, who he states was his only hope and his last family left after the death of his wife. They always had a close relationship, and after the death of Oscar's wife, he took it upon himself to care for her. Oscar adored Olivia and saw her as a very responsible girl, especially since she helped him out so much despite being sad to have lost her mother. Oscar cared for her and her well-being very much, so the revelation that Olivia had inherited the same illness as her mother caused Oscar great pain. He states that he couldn't even look at her suffering, it was too much for him. He did everything in his power to make her recover and for her to be happy, and the small joy she felt while sick was more than enough for Oscar. When she died, however, Oscar says that he got destroyed completely; he became severely depressed and couldn't even bring himself to remember her properly or her name out of sadness. He stayed in that state for years, until deciding to write a story about "Olive", a young girl based on Olivia. With the help of Violet, Oscar eventually fulfills the promise Olivia made to him in the past, and when he "reunites" with her through an illusion, Oscar confesses that he had always wanted to see her and for her to call him "Dad" many more times. He also deeply wished that Olivia could have happily lived and grown up. After getting inspiration for his play, Oscar comes to terms with her death and gives Olive in the play the happy ending Oscar always wanted Olivia to have.[1]
- Violet Evergarden - Oscar hired Violet to help him write a children's play starring a character based on his daughter. Although Violet considered him troublesome, she helped him in every way she could, from making meals for him to helping him visualize a scene based on a wish of his daughter's. Violet emphasizes with Oscar's sadness from losing the people dear to him, and Oscar teaches Violet new emotions. After seeing Olivia's wish realized through Violet, Oscar began to come to terms with the loss of his daughter, to which Oscar is deeply grateful for towards Violet. Oscar is so grateful towards Violet's actions that he describes her as having created a miracle. Although Oscar was sure there was no God, he was sure it would be Violet if there was one. Oscar is also somewhat fond of Violet, as he claims that Olivia is very similar to Violet in terms of appearance, and would grow up to resemble Violet if she had lived. This is also proved when Oscar gifted Violet with Olivia's parasol.[1][3]
Gallery
Trivia
- Oscar's surname is not revealed in the light novel.
- Oscar is shown to have a thin goatee in the anime.
- He always wears a sweater as a result of being sensitive to cold.[1]
References
| Characters in the "Violet Evergarden" Universe | |
|---|---|
| CH Postal Company | Violet Evergarden • Benedict Blue • Cattleya Baudelaire • Claudia Hodgins • Erica Brown • Iris Cannary • Lux Sibyl |
| Other Characters |
Gilbert Bougainvillea • Aidan Field • Alberta • Amy Bartlett • Anne Magnolia • Charlotte Abelfreyja Drossel • Clara Magnolia • Daisy Magnolia •Damian Baldur Flugel • Dietfried Bougainvillea • Eamonn Snow • Edward Jones • Leon Stephanotis • Luculia Marlborough • Olivia Webster • Oscar Webster • Rhodanthe • Spencer Marlborough • Taylor Bartlett • Tiffany Evergarden |