As for Me and My House is set during the Great Depression in a prairie town that mimics the Canadian prairies although not mentioned. As a result, the story takes place on the backdrop of a period that was facing harsh social and economic changes. The hopelessness, poverty, the brutal weather and emptiness of the Canadian-esque landscape are explored around the domestic sphere. The unnamed unreliable narrator recounts her life around a year about her marriage and neighborhood through her diaries. Consequently allows a glimpse into a woman’s state of mind during this period as she navigates the private and public spheres. The novel taps into the sense of hopelessness and isolation of the prairie life as the domestic dynamic are impacted by external pressures.
The narrative revolves around Mrs. Bentley and her husband Philip and their marriage which is strained and dull. Mrs. Bentley is portrayed as an obsessive wife with an emotionally-distant husband but this is according to her perception. Through her observation, her marriage is suffering due to the lack of affection and communication between them. The author hints at the general bleakness and dullness on the prairie that is being projected into their domestic lives. Moreover, addresses the plight of women in the period as they struggle with gender power dynamics and validation. Through this, the author explores the motif in Canadian literature of characters looking outside while cultivating emotional inaccessibility.
Beyond their strained relationship, it explores the subject of stifled creativity, as both are failed artists in their individual vocations. She constantly laments about her artistic failure in music with every emotional breakdown she suffers. On the other hand, Philip also suffers from stifled creativity as he secludes himself physically and emotionally to paint. Additionally, the narrative demonstrates the façade and hypocrisy of small prairie towns that topple the publicized self-righteousness. It delves into hypocrisy in religion with Philip as a minister who does not believe in God though attests his faith publicly. The congregation also present themselves as proper individuals whilst lacking the noble values they claim to possess.
