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Summary The Dream House analysis, themes, characters and quotes
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The Dream House analysis, themes, characters and quotes
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The Dreami
iHouse
Character Analysis
i
Themes
i
i Symbols
i Quotes
, Characters
Patricia
Female iprotagonist
Elderly iwoman iwho ihas idifficult iwalking
She iis idefined iby idisappointment
Her ilife ihas inot iunfolded iin ithe iway ithat ishe iimagined ias ia iyoung iwoman
o The iideal iof ia ihouse ifull iof ichildren iand ia ihappy imarriage inever imaterialised
Her ifirst ichild iwas istillborn, iand ishe iwas ileft ibarren
o She iwas itrapped iin ia imarriage ithat iquickly isoured, iturned irancid iby idisappointment
iand iunspoken iresentment
Years iof ibitterness i+ iregret iturn iher iinto ia irancorous i(resentful) iwoman
[as ishe iprepares ito ileave ithe ifarm] iher ithoughts iare ipreoccupied iwith ifailure i+ iemptiness
ishe iis ileaving ibehind: ithe ihouse, istripped iof iyears iof iclutter iand imemories, isuddenly
ibecomes idark i+ idilapidated
She iknows ihow ithe ifarm iis isymbolic iof ithe ilife ishe ihas ilived iwith iher ihusband, icharacterised
iby ia ilack iof ifulfilment iand imutual idisdain
She iis iconsumed iby ithe idesire ito iconnect ion ian iemotional i+ ispiritual ilevel iwith ianother
ihuman ibeing
o Two isignificant ibonds ishe iforms:
John iFord
Looksmart
Affairs of the heart
i i i
[feeling ijustified iby iRichard’s iextramarital iaffairs] ishe ipursued iher iown iaffair iwith iJohn iFord
She iwas idrawn ito ihim i‘because ihe iwas ieverything iRichard iwas inot.’
However, ishe iwas idisappointed i– ihe iwas inever iable ito ioffer iher ithe iemotional iconnection
ishe icraved
o They inever ihad ithe iconnection ithat ihe iand iAnna i(his ilate iwife) ihad
He i‘tended ito iwithhold ihimself’
Even iin ihis ideath ishe ifeels ishe isomehow icheated ihim
He imay icontend ithat ihe iwanted ito ispare iher ithe ifull iimpact iof ithe ipain iof ihis iillness i+
idecision ito iend ihis ilife, ibe ishe ifeels ithat ihe idenied iher i“the iopportunity ito icare i– ito ifeel
iextravagantly” ithrough ihis idecision ito iexclude iher
The ideath iof iRachel inumbed iher iemotionally i+ ishe iseems ito ihave ibeen iseeking ia iway iout iof
ithis ideadened istate i– iyearning ito ireconnect iwith iher iemotions iand ireawaken ito ilife
o John ifails iher
o He iwithholds ihimself ifrom iher i– idoesn’t ieven isay ithat ihe iloves iher
, “The iemptiness iin iher ibody, ijust ibelow ithe iheart, ihas inever ileft iher. iShe ican isummon iit iup
imerely iby ithinking iabout iit. iA isensation ilike ibutterflies itrying ito iget iout”
“The ione ithing ishe ihadn’t iprovided ifor iJohn iwas ia iplace iof itruth. iThe itruth ihas ieluded
ihim. iIt ieluded iboth iof ithem.”
The prodigal son
i i
He iwas, ifor iher, ia isurrogate ison i– isomeone ion iwhom ito ilavish iher ifrustrated imaternal ilove
She iwas ipresent iat ihis ibirth iand iwas idrawn ito ihim iimmediately
His iarrival irepresented ia ikind iof irebirth ifor iher, iwhen ishe ifelt ias ithough i“everything iwas
washed iclean”
“Because ithe iboy iexpected ithe ibest iof ithe iMadam, iand ithought inothing iof iher isorrow, ihe
imanaged ito iprovide ia iplace iwhere ishe icould ilaugh iagain iand ibe ia ibetter iperson ifor ia
iwhile.”
However, iLooksmart iwas idestined ito ibe ianother idisappointment ifor iher
o As ihe igrew iolder i+ ihis iawareness iof ithe isociety iinto iwhich ihe ihad ibeen iborn ibegan
ito idevelop, iPatricia isensed ithat i he i“started ito ijudge” iher.
o She ididn’t iappreciate ihow itraumatised iLooksmart ihad ibeen iby iGrace’s iviolent ideath
and iso, ias ifar ias ishe iwas iconcerned, ihe ihad isimply iabandoned iher i+ ivanished
o Looksmart’s idesertion iwas idifficult ifor iher ito ibear i+ i“when ihe iwent iit iwas ilike iall
the icolour ihad ifaded ifrom ithe iworld”
o In iher iview, itheir irelationship i“had ibeen ifar itoo isignificant” ito icut ities iforever, ibut
ias iyears ipassed, ishe i“came ito ithink iof ihim ias ianother idead ichild”
She imay ihave ibeen iprotecting iherself ifrom ithe iharsh itruth ithat ishe imeant
iless ito ihim ithan ihe idid ito iher
o The imemory iof iLooksmart ibecame ianother isource iof ipain
“She ispent iher iwhole ilife iwatching ithe ithings ithat ihave imattered ithe imost ito iher ileaving
her.”
Wilful Ignorance?
i
She iis ilargely iignorant iof ithe iimpact iof iapartheid iideology ion iher irelationship iwith
iLooksmart
As ithe ioutsider, ithe ione ideemed iinferior ibecause iof ithe icolour iof ihis iskin, iLooksmart
ibecame iacutely iaware iof ithe iunbreachable idivide ibetween ithem, ibut iPatricia, ias ithe
ibeneficiary iof ian iunjust isystem, iwas iin ia imore icomfortable iposition ito iaccept ithe isocial
ihierarchy ithat idivided ithem
Looksmart isays ithat iPatricia i“was ialways iso igood iat itelling iothers ito iface iup ito ithe itruth,
iyet ishe icould inever isee iwhat iwas istanding iright ithere iin ifront iof iher”
She ichose ito iignore ithe iviolent iinjustice iof iapartheid i(even ias iwar iraged ion iher idoor istep)
However, ishe iwasn’t iuntouched iby iits iideologies
o She iisn’t ias iprejudiced ias iRichard, ibut iher iracism ibetrays iitself iin isubtle i+
unconscious iways
o She itends ito ishy iaway ifrom ithe itruth
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