"The House Behind" by Lydia Davis is the story of two groups of people living in two houses separated by a courtyard. The people in the front of the house are more affluent than those in the rear. The narrator of the story who lives in the house behind thinks back on a murder the year before when a man from the house behind killed a woman from the house in the front. Discussion questions should focus on the events and themes of the story.
Why do you think Mr. Martin killed the woman in the courtyard? Discuss what his reasons likely were and what may have happened in the past to cause his actions. Since there is no exact reason stated—and it may just have been that he misinterpreted her words—readers can speculate on what the exact cause was. You can also discuss the character of the...
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woman who died; the narrator reflects on her and remembers her being kind.
Why do you think the tensions between the two houses got worse after the murder? What do you think might lessen the tension? Readers can discuss why the people from the house behind resent people in the other house. Focusing on their social positions, opportunities, and the differences in their quarters can help spark discussion about social class and living situations. The resentment from the people in the house in the front could be attributed to the murder and also to their different professions and potential futures.
Do you think the narrator decides to move on at the end of the story? What do you think will happen to the people who live in the two houses? You can discuss the way individuals' behaviors changed in the past year and whether moving will place the narrator in a better situation. You can also discuss ways that the situation could improve for the people who live there and what might be the end result if things do not improve.
Keep in mind that good discussion questions can be matters of opinion that let people share their thoughts rather than just a dry discussion of events in the book.