The House Is on Fire

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapters 1-13

Part 2, Chapters 14-57

Part 3, Chapters 58-82

Part 4, Chapters 83-95

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

How does the fire break down “normal” societal rules? How does it reinforce them?

How does the sexism faced by the women in the novel differ due to racism? In what ways do racist and sexist oppression intersect?

Why might Rachel Beanland have chosen the Richmond Theatre Fire of 1811 to discuss the themes in The House Is On Fire? Choose one theme and discuss its relation to the novel’s historical context.