Essay Questions

Where in the book does there appear to be an allusion to Goodfellas?

The real question here is actually more substantive: is allusion in a literary work the job of just the writer or can the reader get in on this deal, too? An allusion is, of course, an indirect reference to an existing entity. Usually, it is expected that an allusion is the job of the writer, but what if a reader comes across an example that they view as a reference that was unintentional on the part of the writer? Is or is it not still technically an allusion. The third paragraph of Chapter 2: The Camper begins with the line “For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a writer” and any reader who considers themselves a serious fan of film will automatically see this as an allusion. It may not be an intentional allusion, but those particular readers this line will almost certainly call to mind one of the defining lines from the film Goodfellas: “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.” Even if not intentional, it’s great accidental allusion, as the disparity is revelatory of the incipient theme within the book of inequitable economics producing disparate dreams unlikely to cross over and interbreed, a theme shared with the film.

What is Section 8?

Metaphorically speaking, Section 8 often seems like a Bigfoot: some people swear they’ve seen it, but the evidence is never entirely convincing. Literally speaking, Section 8 is a form of government assistance designed to lessen the impact of rent upon one’s monthly debts for those with very low incomes. The program is designed to take care of a certain percentage of monthly rent. A person with an income of $1000 a month would, for example, only have to pay around $300 with the government footing the rest. Obviously, this seems like a pretty good deal and one would think there would be millions taking advantage of the program. Except that actually meeting all the requirements necessary to enjoy the benefits and then finding a landlord willing to sign on to the deal is almost as difficult as getting Bigfoot flash a smile in a big closeup in front of a camera.

What is The Sad House?

While working as a maid, the author makes up names for several of the homes she cleans. The Sad House belongs to an older man who had lost his wife and one of his sons. The other son, thought alive, never seemed to visit. The author’s nickname for it derives not just from the circumstances of its owner, but from the circumstances of the house itself which seems to be frozen in time as if everything just came to sudden end as the result of the overwhelming grief caused by one or both of the two unexpected losses of life in the man’s past.