A Good House Judith Guest Analysis

Tragedy is an ambiguous word which has several different meaning or interpretations. How an individual copes with her personal tragedy can also be very different. In A Good House by Bonnie Burnard and Ordinary People by Judith Guest, female characters play a crucial role in overcoming two separate tragedies. In the face of tragic events, the female protagonists are the ones who must anchor and sustain their families. They become the family pillars because of detached males characters and the reliance of their children. In the end, this strength comes at the cost of personal sacrifice and loss to both of them. The two female protagonists are relied on by their husbands because they are not always present to help around the house. In A Good House, Bill Chambers loses his wife, Sylvia to cancer. Then, he is faced with the biggest challenge of his …show more content…
However, Margaret Kemp quickly fills Sylvia’s void and takes charge of the household. Soon after Sylvia’s death, Margaret and Bill become engaged. “What he was about to do would be seen by some as too big a change too soon, or worse, just plain selfish” (Burnard 59). After their wedding, Bill began his second chance at life. However, he is absent most of the time. He is either fishing, working, with friends, or simply in the next room. There is a possibility that Bill tries to stay away from the house as much as possible because it reminds him of Sylvia. Keeping out of the house could be a coping mechanism used by Bill. Margaret is there to wash the dishes, clothes, and children’s faces. The effects of his absence is obvious in 1995. The children have moved out and the house work has been