Andre Dubus IIIs House of Sand and Fog Essay -- Andre Dubus III House

Andre Dubus III's House of Sand and Fog "House of Sand and Fog," by Andre Dubus III, explores the catastrophic repercussions of a complex misunderstanding between three characters. The conflict initially involves a dispute between Kathy Nicolo and Massoud Behrani over the â€Å"rightful† ownership of a house. The county wrongfully evicts Kathy and Behrani then buys her house at an auction. When Deputy Sheriff Lester Burdon enters the situation, events quickly slip out of control. Superficially, Lester’s character is important to the novel because he acts as a catalyst, propelling the plot into unexpected action. But Lester impacts the novel in a more profound way, because were it not for his insecurity and selfishness, the rest of the characters could have been spared an avoidable tragedy. Lester’s commitment to help Kathy at all costs undeniably alters the outcome of the novel. By providing her with money for a motel, and later with shelter at a friend’s cabin, he allows her to continue avoiding the reality of the situation. If Lester had never met Kathy, she would have been forced to be upfront with her lawyer. Instead, Kathy tells herself â€Å"there a limit to how much [her lawyer] wants to help,† and continues to tell Connie Walsh that she is staying with friends (88). Knowing the severity of Kathy’s plight could have prompted Connie Walsh to more ardently pursue the county on Kathy’s behalf. Because of Lester, however, the truth is kept from the lawyer. Additionally, although proclaiming his love for her, Lester becomes a negative influence on Kathy. Under the false sense of security he provides, Kathy, a recovering alcoholic, allows herself to start drinking again after an abstinence of three ye... ...observes the situation as merely a problem that requires a quick fix, and he sets about â€Å"fixing† the situation instead of fulfilling Kathy’s emotional needs. In the tradition of a Greek tragedy, Lester’s insecurity is his hamartia, his tragic flaw. His egocentrism stems from this, causing him to overlook the needs of others in his quest for self-justification. This is not to say that the awful outcome of the novel can be attributed to Lester alone. All three main characters fail to understand one another and rush to false assumptions based on cultural differences. But the fatalities of the scenario can be traced back to the overreactions of Lester. In the form of Lester Burdon, Dubus imbues his story with a potent warning against dishonestly with oneself. Only when a man truly understands himself and accepts his flaws can he attempt to overcome them.