Summary The Dream House, ISBN: 9781770104891 English Home Language
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Course
English Home Language
Institution
12
Book
The dream house
This document is the summary of Craig Higginson's 'The Dream House' which metaphorically describes the apartheid regime in South Africa through a 24-hour time frame. This is the perfect printout and a complete time saver for when you are studying for Trials/Prelims or Final exams at Matric level.
The Dream House by Craig Higginson: Key Quotes by Character/ Theme
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English Home Language
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Jenna Cole
THE
DREAM
HOUSE
By Craig Higginson
,Jenna Cole
Character Summaries
Patricia - Unhappily married to Richard - only married because she became
Wiley pregnant - female protagonist.
She had the baby and the baby died which made everything so much worse. Richard and Patricia
don’t ever get over it.
Her and Richard have a very toxic and mutually disrespectful relationship.
- her life plan did not go according to plan.
- very difficult life
- Had a very long affair with John Ford
(uMesis)
- Knows the house intimately and has lived there for most of her
life.
- Overweight and cared for by Beauty.
- Was very fond of a young boy, Looksmart, from the farm who she
helped get into a good school and she’s basically his surrogate mother to him but she has never
let him sleep a night in her home.
She treats her pets and servants the same, whenever the dogs stop being useful, she calls a
farmworker to come and shoot the dog. By not doing it herself she avoids that guilt of having
taken a life.
Richard - Suffers from Dementia: forgetful and easily confused
Wiley - He is a rapist and a murderer.
- not the ideal husband and he was also having an affair.
- impregnates and murders Grace
- Very bad temper and at times he seems to be plagued by sorrow and pain.
(uBaas) - Very bitter towards Patricia
- Patricia’s suspects that he is faking his dementia.
- dreams of his dead daughter bearing his child (twisted and sick)
- “He gave up any pretense at being good at anything after her father
died.” - Patricia
Beauty - Works for Patricia and Richard - cares for Richard
- Thoko is her real name.\
- Loves Bheki
- never comes the first time when Patricia calls her as an act of passive aggression.
- Will go for driving and English lessons when in Durban
- Afraid of Richard (uBaas) because of racial dynamics and his
history of power
, Jenna Cole
Grace’s sister.
She is the only one that knows the real story about what happened to Grace.
Disempowered to have her own opinion and says “nobody ever asked me” when people ask her why
she didn’t tell anyone.
When she took one of Patricia’s favourite teacups and used it at home and that is a small act of
defiance towards her.
Her character is motivated by love.
- “The way Beauty tends to lean towards a thing before approaching it,
allowing her body to feel its pull and moving forward only when her
heart is in it.”
Bheki - Patricia and Richard’s driver (and gardener)
- Never took an interest in books but loves the car dearly
- Concerned only about his disabled son, Bheki
- Beauty has been in love with him for years, but he doesn’t love her
Back.
Doesn’t know what to do with his life and can’t leave the farm because of his disabled love.
Strong sense of duty and loyalty to his family.
Job offers from Looksmart and is going to take it.
He has done all the dirty work for her like, driving her to and from her love affairs with John, he
has shot the dogs and has dug the child’s remains up for her to take it to Durban
- “Bheki rarely speaks to (Patricia) outside of what is practical.”
Ethunzini - Patricia and Richard’s current rottweiler
Chloe - Patricia and Richard’s previous rottweiler
- attack dog
Patricia’s - Left the farm to Patricia when he died
father - Spoke against Richard only once, then never again
- Never complained: worked hard every day, which Patricia
respected him for
- “The only good man in my life.” - Patricia
John Ford - English teacher and headmaster at Looksmart’s boarding school.
- Had a 15-year affair with Patricia
- Wife died of bone cancer
- “Patricia likes to think she fell in love with him because he was
everything Richard was not.”
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