The Dream House Characters

Patricia Wiley, one of The Dream House’s three main characters, is a humorous, self-centered, elderly white woman living with her husband Richard Wiley on a farm in post-apartheid South Africa. She met Richard after… read analysis of Patricia Wiley

Looksmart, another of The Dream House’s three main characters, is an intelligent, tormented Black man who lives in Johannesburg with his wife, daughters, and elderly mother. During apartheid, his mother moved to Patricia… read analysis of Looksmart (Phiwayinkosi Ndlovu)

Beauty, the third of The Dream House’s main characters, is a plain-looking Black South African woman in her late thirties who works for Patricia Wiley and Richard Wiley. Her family lives on the… read analysis of Beauty (Togo)

Richard Wiley is Patricia Wiley’s husband, Beauty and Bheki’s employer, and stillborn Rachel’s father. He emigrated to South Africa from Yorkshire, England, got a job managing Patricia’s father’s farm, and began a… read analysis of Richard Wiley

Grace was a young Black dairy worker on Patricia Wiley’s farm during the apartheid era. She was Beauty’s sister and Looksmart’s first love. Toward apartheid’s end, Patricia’s husband Richard Wiley killed her… read analysis of Grace (Noma)

John Ford is an elderly white South African man, a retired former schoolteacher and headmaster, and the long-term adulterous lover of Patricia Wiley. They met and experienced an immediate attraction when Patricia brought Looksmart… read analysis of John Ford

Looksmart’s mother moved to Patricia Wiley’s farm while pregnant with Looksmart. The other farm workers believed Looksmart’s father was in prison for some heinous crime. When Looksmart’s mother went into labor, Patricia helped… read analysis of Looksmart’s Mother

Though dead for about half a century when the novel begins, Patricia’s father remains a positive, emotional memory for Patricia Wiley. She believes him to have been a good, hardworking, friendly man, though his… read analysis of Patricia’s Father

Mrs. Bell was John Ford’s secretary when he was headmaster at the fancy school Looksmart attended. She knows about John and Patricia Wiley’s long-term affair. After John’s suicide, Mrs. Bell calls Patricia to… read analysis of Mrs. Bell

Rachel is Patricia Wiley and Richard Wiley’s only child, born dead at seven months. They buried her near a stand of trees on their farm. Richard, suffering from dementia, spends much of the novel… read analysis of Rachel