House Rules

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2010

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Parts 1-3

Parts 4-6

Parts 7-9

Parts 10-11

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

How does Picoult’s identity as a neurotypical author impact her portrayal of a character with autism?

Compare House Rules’s portrayal of autism to the film Music (2021), written and directed by singer Sia. Music received overwhelming backlash for its inaccurate portrayal of autism. The film was also criticized for Sia’s decision to cast a neurotypical actress as a character with autism. How does House Rules compare to Music?

Autism research has evolved substantially since House Rules was published in 2010. How does current research affect your reading of the novel?