The Dream House
Study Notes
Suranya Govender
Grade 12t
Contents:
● Brief Mindmap Summary
● Part by Part Summary
● Characters
● Themes
● Symbols, Motifs, Imagery
● Quotes
● Essay Questions
, Dreamhouse Themes
Racism
Beauty
● seen as typical blacks 'maid' dutifully following orders from the white madam'
(Stereotypical but Beauty chooses to accept this stereotype) (it's what she knows and
feels safe with)
● What is not clichéd is how in intuitive , protective, sensitive and complex Beauty is
(she might be quiet and reticent, but she is no fool)
● Richard and Looksmart are both quite racist a haughty towards her
○ but she is a genuine, loyal, wise person
Looksmart
● Has been helped by Patricia & John in terms of a white education
● He did originally want to please Patricia (make her feel that he was worthy of her and
her white generosity)
● He did not want to be like ‘the rest of them- the natives - who had to be told a
hundred times how to do a thing before they could master it’
● Looksmart didn't fit in w/ black boys on the farm, and was not really accepted by the
white boys either
● Look smart scorns other black people for not having changed their way of life and he
resents white privilege (is Although he has too benefited from it)
Grace
● was treated like a commodity (there to serve Richaro) and even was paid for it
● once she was pregnant, she had served her usefulness and so the white Baas
wanted nothing to do with her in fact, he was ready to have the dog kill her
● Could you argue that Grace allowed herself to be used?
Richard
● behaves like a conquering colonist: paying for and/or taking whatever he wants
● his violent response to Grace, and setting the dog on her, can be likened to white
politicians during Apartheid
○ seizing (land, powers, jobs, mineral wealth) and enforcing that seizure with
force (army, security, police, intimidation, imprisonment)
● Even in his demented state, he feels he can tell Looksmart a racist joke and speak
about having him whipped
1
Study Notes
Suranya Govender
Grade 12t
Contents:
● Brief Mindmap Summary
● Part by Part Summary
● Characters
● Themes
● Symbols, Motifs, Imagery
● Quotes
● Essay Questions
, Dreamhouse Themes
Racism
Beauty
● seen as typical blacks 'maid' dutifully following orders from the white madam'
(Stereotypical but Beauty chooses to accept this stereotype) (it's what she knows and
feels safe with)
● What is not clichéd is how in intuitive , protective, sensitive and complex Beauty is
(she might be quiet and reticent, but she is no fool)
● Richard and Looksmart are both quite racist a haughty towards her
○ but she is a genuine, loyal, wise person
Looksmart
● Has been helped by Patricia & John in terms of a white education
● He did originally want to please Patricia (make her feel that he was worthy of her and
her white generosity)
● He did not want to be like ‘the rest of them- the natives - who had to be told a
hundred times how to do a thing before they could master it’
● Looksmart didn't fit in w/ black boys on the farm, and was not really accepted by the
white boys either
● Look smart scorns other black people for not having changed their way of life and he
resents white privilege (is Although he has too benefited from it)
Grace
● was treated like a commodity (there to serve Richaro) and even was paid for it
● once she was pregnant, she had served her usefulness and so the white Baas
wanted nothing to do with her in fact, he was ready to have the dog kill her
● Could you argue that Grace allowed herself to be used?
Richard
● behaves like a conquering colonist: paying for and/or taking whatever he wants
● his violent response to Grace, and setting the dog on her, can be likened to white
politicians during Apartheid
○ seizing (land, powers, jobs, mineral wealth) and enforcing that seizure with
force (army, security, police, intimidation, imprisonment)
● Even in his demented state, he feels he can tell Looksmart a racist joke and speak
about having him whipped
1
