House of Sand and Fog pp.240-280

House of Sand and Fog Discussion guide- pp.240-280

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1.Why is Lester flashing back to the day when his father left the family? (p.241) How does this affect his decision to divorce Carol?

2. Why do you think Nadi is so much more sympathetic to Kathy than her husband? (p.245)

3. At this point in the novel (p.245) “fog was so thick [Lester’s] headlights were reflected off it and he had to drive slow, and careful.” What does the fog symbolize in this passage?

4. Why is it ironic that Kathy uses Nadi’s sleeping pills to try to end her life? (p.248)

5. Behrani finally reveals his situation to Esmail. What has motivated the colonel to do this? How does Esmail react? (p251)

6. How does Behrani react when he sees Kathy in the bathtub? How does Nadi react?
Why does he say nothing when he knows that Esmail is watching? (p.252)

7. “I feel sorry for her. We should have moved, Bawbaw-jahn.” What does this statement say about Esmail’s character? (p254) Why does Bahrani not listen to his son’s advice?

8. What does Lester discover in Kathy’s car that sends him into the house? (p257)
How does the rest of the story hinge on this important development?

9. “ In this moment he is weak. And it is the weak who are truly dangerous.(p263)
Who is speaking here? To whom is he/she referring? Explain the quote in terms of
the plot line.
10 Interpret Lester’s mental state: “His face was a windowpane and the inside was
covered with flies. (p. 263)

11. Why do you think Lester begins sweeping the floor after breaking into the colonel’s house? (p. 264)

12. Leste wonders what had happened since the morning that could have put Kathy over the line. What assumption does he make that is probably true? (p268)

13. Describe what Lester discovers about the Behrani’s lifestyle that enrages him.(p.277)
Why does he narrator catalog these items in detail?