Christmas Tree Sale - "Like a House on Fire"
At the beginning of "Like a House on Fire," the narrator describes his family buying a Christmas tree in the parking lot of a supermarket. It's a quintessential suburban scene. The narrator describes graffiti sprayed on a Subway sandwich shop that reads, "Only eight shoplifting days left till Christmas" (73). The scene captures the uncanny nature of suburban development, i.e., a parking lot full of uprooted trees, while also showing a sort of resistance to the capitalistic structure that perpetuates the uncanniness.
Ground-in Glitter and Stars - "Like a House on Fire"
Near the conclusion of the story, the narrator and Claire lay together on the living room floor, and the narrator spots another mess his children made. He says he "see[s], behind [Claire] in the greyish dawn, a line of ground-in glitter and stars stuck in the carpet. Probably with glue." He draws Claire's attention to them, and she says, "Oh...yes! Don't they look great, in this light?" (92-94). Here is another instance, like the Christmas trees standing in the paved lot, of an unnatural imitation of nature, although this time, Kennedy casts a positive light on the scene. The couple's appreciation of the glitter in the context of this moment of relief lends a double valence to the meaning of "in this light," i.e., Claire suggests that, in light of their brief respite, they can enjoy the sight of the ground-in glitter, whereas normally it would irritate her husband.
The Construction Site - "Sleepers"
In "Sleepers," Kennedy describes the construction site at night, as Ray encounters it before he attempts to take the wood. He sees "motionless machinery there, the dark mountains of sleepers silhouetted." He gets out of his car, and Kennedy writes, "...here came the moon, sailing out from behind a cloud, ready to help him" (136-138). There is a juxtaposition here between "helpful" nature and the sleeping monsters of industry, i.e. the earth movers.
The Sterile Environment of Hospitals - "Five-Dollar Family"
In "Five-Dollar Family," Kennedy describes the sterile, uncomfortable environment of the hospital. She writes, "The light in the hospital is cold, and everything hums. Michelle hates the way her narrow bed crackles, and the plastic lining inside her pillow that keeps her awake when she knows she should be trying to sleep" (96). In this case, Kennedy strays from the domestic and rural/suburban imagery and provides a stark contrast: the commercial, antiseptic, and industrial.
