Analysis of Like a House on Fire by Cate Kennedy

This article provides an in-depth analysis of Like a House on Fire by Cate Kennedy, exploring themes of power dynamics, marital commitment, and caregiving. The story follows the challenges faced by a couple dealing with pain, love, and family, and the importance of understanding, love, and care in maintaining a healthy relationship. The article also delves into the societal pressures and social values that impact the characters, and the role of legal remedies in promoting social development and inclusion.

Creative Text Response Like a
House on Fire by Cate
Kennedy

House on Fire
The story is appeared in the collection of Flexion. It is established as an essential thematic
precedent for “Like a House on fire”. This is a story about power dynamics, accepting care and
caregiving. This is about limits of marital commitment and the way in which obligations are
shaping identity. According to the character of Mrs. Slovak, who is known as wife of Frank, it is
concluded that Kennedy has rendered an individual who is feeling trapped inside a loveless
marriage. When Frank accident didn’t occur then life of Slovak was ruled by misanthropy and
negativity (Andreescu, 2020). The Flexion of Kennedy is clear descendent in which a woman is
informed that her husband was killed. Flexion is an interesting topic for study. This story is
predominantly within close third perspective of the town individual. As per this zoomed out
pattern, Kennedy is able to convey how Slovaks are being perceived by their neighbours.
According to the views of Flexion a woman witnesses what she believes. This will be death of
her husband because he met with an accident. This person is able to survive and he is unable to
show gratitude towards kindness of others or to tolerate perceived weakness. “Like a House on
Fire” is the story of a couple who is facing different challenges associated with pain, love and
family. By using the example of Claire, the narrator, Kennedy is providing depiction on nature of
close relationships. He suggests that tension and stress are inevitable but they have to tackles
among couples for continuing a healthy relationship.
There are very few characters who were actually enjoying the way they are living their lives.
Younger characters are seen to be focusing upon attention that is in regards to past and future
planning. The younger characters are focusing more upon realistic or pessimistic manner. They
are involved in spending lot of time in assuming how life is failing expectations and what is the
way they have imagined it to be. The characters are thinking about future and past relations. This
is known as central dilemma which is currently faced by the author. After the evaluation of
different protagonists, it is seen that there are keen observers within world who are managing
people around them. Kennedy is focusing upon the concept of constant criticism which is the
indication for loveless marriage and there is need to feel love and warmth among both the
partners (Foley, 2018). It is not a good sign if partners are criticizing each other. They can end up

the relation if such issues continue among them. It is not easy to lead a happy life with a partner
who is carrying another man’s child. This is negatively impacting upon mental health of the
person. There is need for improvising the way of living and enhancing understanding level
among each other. This will help to cope up with societal pressure and help in leading a happy
and good life. There are different ways which are helpful for people to live a happy life and
attain success. The major focus should be upon increasing understanding, love and care. This
helps to lead a happy life.
There are different small events, everyday actions of characters with extra significance that have
to be managed properly in order to live a happy life. It is essential that conversations between
characters is important when writing a content story. There is ned for viewing others while
having compassionate gaze. There is also need for dreaming of another life -judging their own
lives. In the society, social values play a key role in the development of individuals related to a
society. In the recent times, social practices are majorly promoted by different countries to
promote social inclusion. In this case a person has married a pregnant woman which is
considered as false practice in the society. It is essential for a person to focus on social issues
which are major outcome of this practice. The person will face different consequences and
challenges in the society as he has married a widow. The social taunts will be major outcome
related to the situation which will demotivate the individual. It is essential and compulsory for
the person to ignore social evil based elements in order to live a smooth and precise life. The
person has also a good option, which is taking support from society in a well-defined manner
(Kobilova, 2019). It is also one of the crucial role of an individual to analyse key differences
between social and ethical norms which are to be followed in a society. The taunts will make the
person mentally unstable which will be considered as major threat to life of a person. In order to
develop social and ethical values, it is essential for an individual to take into consideration
traditional and rituals of the society.
The pregnant lady will also face severe problems which will affect directly on her mentality. It is
crucial role of a person to take legal help in this case as it will also help the individual to focus
more on term based goals. The legal remedies will help the person to analyse key factors
associated with law and policy to lead the society. It is one of the crucial role of a person to also
read constitution and development based practices which help in making a deep impression. All

the legal remedies which are available in the legal systems will help individuals to focus more on
law. The pregnant lady should also become social in order to handle different practices related to
the society. It is crucial role of an individual to focus more on law related opportunities that are
based on assessment of market. In the current scenario, law and order ministry of the government
is also putting major efforts which are important for development of focused goals and
approaches. The law related to human rights is helpful in promoting development based practices
related to legal operations. It is also one of the key step that can be taken by a person to analyse
the opinion and perspective of the society (Metz, 2019). In the recent times, it is important for an
individual to take help of legal remedies which help in promotion of social development and
inclusion. In this story Kennedy explores power of humour for bridging gaps and bringing
individuals together in context of adversity. The narrator and his wife are able to reclaim the
relationship intimacy through humour. This story tells that real life intimate relationship may
benefit from love approach.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Andreescu, F. C., 2020. Ruined intimacy and intimate ruins in Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Loveless
(2017). Journal of European Popular Culture. 11(1). pp.5-20.
Foley, V. R., 2018. The Trials of a New England Coquette: Rockford and the Romantic History
of Lillie Devereux Blake. Legacy: A Journal of American Women Writers. 35(2). pp.121-140.
Kobilova, N. S., 2019. LITERARY PSYCHOLOGY AND STYLE. Theoretical & Applied
Science. (10). pp.254-258.
Metz, N. A., 2019. The Madman's Curious Manuscript, Or," Judge for yourself," Samuel
Pickwick. Dickens Quarterly. 36(2). pp.125-135.