preview

Analysis Of `` House Of Sand And Fog `` By Andre Dubus IIi

Decent Essays

Alienation Throughout the novel “House of Sand and Fog” by Andre Dubus III, the recurring theme of alienation takes its toll on the lives of the two main characters: Kathy and Behrani. We see how the isolation of both characters not only has an effect on them, but also on the lives of others who matter most to them. Alienation is the act of being withdrawn or isolated from a life in which one is accustomed or should be accustomed to. The incidents of alienation demonstrated in the novel include, the relationship between each character and their families, Behrani and his family being forced out of their home country and living in America, and Kathy getting evicted from her family house. As we see these events occur throughout the book, we also learn that both characters will do whatever it takes to claim ownership of what they both call home. This drawn-out battle over a piece of property ends up putting Kathy along with Lester behind bars, and with Behrani losing his son in the process. Dubus illustrates many scenes where both Kathy and Behrani isolate themselves from their families. For example, when Kathy is at the motel reminiscing of her phone calls with her mother, we see how Kathy alienates herself from her family when she notes how “after Nick left,” she would “start lying about how well he was doing at his new job” and how “this used to be true” (44). By not telling her mother that Nick had left her, this demonstrates a clear example of her seclusion from her

Get Access