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1.       The Rotary guy’s ‘look’

To describe the ‘look’ of judgement that the rotary guy gave narrator Kennedy used stereotypical language. But as this is coming from a thought of the narrator the image is given to readers on how he is feeling. He is comparing himself to the likes of ‘shirkers, layabouts and vandals.’ This gives audiences an image of the narrator standing back and being helpless to his family.

2.       The three wise men with eyelashes at mardi gras

Kennedy has used the simile of comparing the Wisemans eyelashes to ‘Mardi Gras’ to create the image of the big fake eyelashes used in their costumes. Mardi Gras is known for the big colours and costumes so that is instantly what our minds think to when describing the ‘unnerving false’ eyelashes. It is an event known to most so it is easy for readers to create an image in their minds.

3.       The unhurt baby Jesus

Kennedy has used symbolism of the meaning of baby Jesus to state that it was the only figurine of the nativity set that didn’t break. This establishes the meaning that Jesus has to not only their family but for readers as well. It is a story that some readers can understand.

4.       The makeshift nativity scene

“Christmas designed by Disney and Mattel”

“A crib surrounded by toys”

“Everything replaced except, in the middle of it all, the baby with the Napoleon kiss-curl, arms spread to receive the gifts, or else to declare: Come and adore me!”

5.       Evie’s big eyes with the fairy in her lap

“They are eyes, it strikes me, that are all too familiar with endlessly compromised plans, as if life is already revealing itself to her as a long trail of small disappointments and changeable older brothers”

The dad is scared that she is going to lose important parts of her childhood because he is immobile, like putting the fairy on the tree, and her brothers aren’t helping.

6.    The ceramic shard stabbing into his back p76

Cate Kennedy describes to the pain that the protagonist is in by using similes, comparing the pain in his back as a sharp ceramic shards stabbing into his lower spine to allow the reader to feel how much pain he is really in and to draw a more detailed image

7.    The protagonist getting down and back up from his position on the loungeroom floor

Every time the protagonist goes to lie down on the floor, he does it in a “slow swan dive” and is “enduring” as it last for a long period to help the reader feel the pain that he is in. Once on the ground it is hard to move as he lies there oblivious to his kids stepping over him and how that is considered to be a regular thing now as his injury hasn’t gotten any better and how he struggles to get back up

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Cate Kennedy’s use of the In-Media-Res structure aims to draw the reader into the story by stating the action first, then referring back to the events before the action to give some background information. She also uses this technique to jump between the tenses. In her short story ‘Like a house on Fire,’ the conflicts between characters as well as the frailty of the body are shown to the reader through the narrator’s explanations of the back injury. Kennedy has purposely introduced the humiliation the narrator feels with having his back injury at the beginning of the story, producing narrative possibilities for the reader, like “what happened to his back?” This question is then answered later on in the story when the narrator explains his injury being “mildly herniated discs” caused by his perfectionist personality.

Punctuation can also be used to help define and exaggerate the meaning of an action or character’s personality. Kennedy’s use of dashes “– you can see where this is going, can’t you – “ not only switches from 1st to 2nd person, but it breaks up the sentence to call upon what the reader should be piecing together while the narrator is explaining how his injury happened.

Throughout this story, Kennedy is constantly switching between the past and present tense. The reader is told about the narrator’s life now with the back injury – his physical struggles and negative thoughts. However he then refers back to “last Christmas,” creating a contrast between the moods: last Christmas was a bright, spirited, happy time and this Christmas is full of anguish and pain. This reflection on the past shows the reader that there was a time of happiness at one point.

The structure Kennedy follows throughout her stories also allows for small twists and turns to be added – creating shifts in the mood. One noticeable shift is in the comparison of emotions from last Christmas to the present one. Last Christmas, the reader’s understand the character’s feelings to be happy and excited. However in the beginning of this story, the boys don’t even want to put the Christmas tree up – too engrossed in their video games. The hope and mindset shifts in the narrator, reflecting in the new found spirit of the boys becoming more excited for Christmas.

While the narrator sits back nursing his injury, the wife is working hard to keep the family afloat. As the narrator watches over everyone, he has the chance to reflect on his actions and decisions over the past few weeks, to see how far he has come while mapping out what’s left to go. The significance of the narrator simply walking back up the stairs to have another look over his sleeping children, is quite large. Not only is he physically able to do that, he is also signalling the start of the next mood shift – a feeling of hope. This hope is then carried out to the end of the story when the narrator asks the wife to crack his back – even going so far as to crack a joke. This sheds a new light on their relationship and is represented by the sparkling of the glitter spread over the floor from one of the children.

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1.    What does the title of this story refer to?

It is and expression used to show how well people get along with each other. Meaning that they get along really well. This is showing that he and his wife used to get along with each other really well (like a house on fire.)

2.    What hints does the author give to suggest that the dynamic between the two adults was once different?

He states that they were different, specifically in the first couple of weeks when they would laugh about his numb and tingling buttocks.

3.    How does Claire see her husband?

She sees him as a control freak the cleanest person alive. A person that has to have everything in one spot not the other. The story points out that she laughs at him when he stacks the dish washer more neatly or tucks the sheets in properly. He is a clean freak and wants everything done the right way his way.

4.    How does the narrator see his wife?

As a hard-working mother, but not so much his wife anymore. Since they almost never have any special moments together, and their relationship has become stagnant and almost professional.

5.    How do each of them see their current situation?

The dad sees it as chaos, the mum wants it to be done and over with, the eldest son doesn’t even want to put the decorations on the Christmas tree and blames it on his sister saying she was the only one that wanted to do it. The other kids love it they are having fun even putting Darth -Vader in the Christmas set.

6.    How have Ben and Sam changed between this Christmas and the last? Why does this make their father sad?

They have become less appreciative of their family

7.    How does each of the characters compromise in the story?

Some are a problem to handle and some are a comic outlet. The dad is in pain from a back problem and can only sit or lay down and has trouble moving. The oldest son does not want to help with anything. And one of the younger sons catches dad pretending to be Santa but dad plays it off.

8.    Is there a ‘bad guy’ or antagonist in this story?

No there is not. People are just overcome with the frustration of the narrator’s injury. Claire is frustrated at having to look after the narrator, but only because of how long the injury has lasted, which she thought would be over in around six weeks. The narrator is frustrated at his inability to keep control of his house and family, and life in general. If there were to be an “antagonist”, it would be the two boys, Ben and Sam. The two boys are just taking advantage of their father’s injury to get away with stuff.

9.    What does the lack of an antagonist say about the situation?

That its just a series of unfortunate events, and not someone’s fault