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112. Dream House as Surprise Ending
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in In the Dream House, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Queer Visibility
Christianity and Shame
Abuse, Trauma, and Healing
Storytelling, Responsibility, and Freedom
Summary
Analysis
Machado takes Zoloft for her anxiety, but it comes with side effects including heartburn so painful it makes her vomit. As she’s throwing up, she thinks about her body as a volcano erupting with wayward, fierce streams of lava. Still, she knows that volcanic soil produces bountiful crops.
Machado turns the side effects of her anxiety medication into poetic images. This chapter highlights her ability to process even physical discomfort as a healing narrative.
Themes
