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122. Dream House as Void
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
The day after the breakup, Machado’s uncle calls her: he’s visiting Iowa City and wants to see her. He’s a devoted Republican, in stark contrast to Machado’s politics, but she says yes anyway. When he arrives, she starts crying and explains that her girlfriend broke up with her. He comforts her, saying “Everyone’s heart breaks in the same way.” He tells her to find a new hobby, which makes her smile for the first time in what could be a year.
Even though Machado’s uncle holds drastically different political beliefs to hers, he’s able to comfort her when she’s feeling vulnerable. This unexpected moment of tenderness hints at the fact that Machado will find healing in varied ways as time goes on.
Themes
