In the Dream House

Machado opens her memoir by quoting Saidiya Hartman’s theory of archival silence to contextualize her work in queering the archive. How does Machado approach her work of queering the archive? Which chapters speak most directly to that project?

What does the Dream House represent? How is it connected with Machado’s writing philosophy?

Do you believe Machado’s religious childhood informs her relationship with her partner? If so, in what ways? If not, why not?

How might this memoir be different without a fragmented narrative? What does the fragmentation allow the author to convey that another narrative form might not?

Is this a memoir or a new literary genre? Research the idea of “queer” as a verb, and discuss the ways in which Machado queers the memoir form.

How does Machado express the emotional aspects of her experiences with abuse? How does this compare with how she describes the Dream House?

What is Machado’s purpose in writing this memoir? Discuss at least three chapters that support your argument.

The Dream House is both a psychological setting and a physical place in reality. Discuss the relationship between these two forms of the Dream House and the implications of each for Machado’s relationship.