Although the author might be subjective due to the conveying of the inner world of an immigrant and a military, the overall message is rendered through powerful language and thought-through narration. The house of fog represents Behrani’s blurred and unreachable American dream that ultimately vanished. As the title implies, the house made of sand as a symbol of something old represents Kathy’s dream to restore her lost life. I am satisfied with the ending because such a turn of events and the emphasized emotional and philosophical lines complete the novel’s overall idea. Such a technique enhances the detachment of Behrani from his American dream due to the realization of the impossibility of happiness without his son.
House of sand and fog andre dubus full#
Also, at the end of the novel, the author uses phrases like “the streets are full of American people” or “these American police” (Dubus 332-333). The author adds foreign words into Behrani’s narrative with an aim to emphasize his origin as the reason for alienation. The final chapters that describe the death of Behrani’s son and the colonel’s intention to kill his wife and himself are characterized by a unique narrative style that stands out. We will always live in the house of sand and fog.The first-person narration that primarily conveys the inner state of the main character contributes to readers’ understanding of Behrani’s feelings and the logic behind his actions, as well as enhances the overall message of the novel. Until we all see each other as part of our common community of humanity, with the same goals and hopes, with the same good intentions to live a happy and meaningful life, we will never solve the problem of racism. As one of the villagers summed it up beautifully about the people in his village “We dance together, we eat together. The villagers in this story, however, understand wisely how peace can be achieved by respecting each other’s beliefs and ways of life. Ethiopia is considered less “civilized” than the United States. They stood in a circle, facing each other, praying in their different ways. They slaughtered two lambs to prepare a feast for Bourdain. Last night, on CNN”s Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown, I watched Bourdain’s journey to a village in Ethiopia, where the communities of Christians and Muslims coexist peacefully. Stereotypes become a normal thought process leading to predictable actions. Many of us believe we are superior, our lives are impeccable, just to find how some people we thought we knew, due to our cultural bias and assumptions, turn out to be more educated and successful than us. We stay away from certain neighborhoods, fearing again for our safety.
We put them in categories, often using condescendent or critical terms such as “Yuppies,” “White trash,” “Free loaders,” or “Rednecks.” We often cross the street when we are alone to avoid certain people, fearing we will be robbed or assaulted. We also judge others based on external factors such as their life circumstances or their physical appearance. We label people “weird” or “strange,” as their habits and customs are not the same as ours. As in “House of Sand and Fog,” we tend to judge others using our own standards, which are formed by our cultures. They do not realize that beneath the superficial social or cultural differences and barriers, they are indeed very similar at heart.Īfter reading this novel, as I completely immersed myself in the two main characters who were telling their stories from their point of view, I learned how we have to experience someone’s life to understand how they feel about different issues, how they conduct their lives, or simply how they view the world around them. We were mesmerized by how Andre Dubus III drew us into his three very imperfect characters’ inner lives. Lester is the sheriff who helps evict her. Kathy is a recovering addict whose home has been seized by the county.
The ending of the book is tragic, as it shows how two good people can destroy each other as they misunderstand each other’s way of life. Take a twisty, dramatic thriller, fill it with raw, realistic characters, and you’ve got House of Sand and Fog. The story is told in the first person from each side of the conflict, with the reformed drug addict and the Iranian head of household being the main characters. The two families fight over the same house which the American woman inherited from her father but lost through a back tax problem. “House of Sand and Fog” is about the conflict between two families, one being a lower middle class American woman, a reformed drug addict the other being a peaceful Iranian family trying to build a good life in America. Now and then, there is a novel which makes me think about the human condition for days after I finish reading it, and this novel was among the most haunting ones. Several years ago, I read an excellent novel called “ House of Sand and Fog,” by Andre Dubus III, which later was made into a movie.
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