Short Story To Set Our House In Order

In the short story To Set Our House in Order, written by Margaret Laurence, the story took place in Grandmother Macleod’s house during the depression of the 1930’s. Ewen the son of Grandmother MacLeod and his family Beth and Vanessa moved in with f=Grandmother MacLeod when Ewen who is a doctor couldn’t afford the persistence for his family. Ewen wife Beth was pregnant which was not easy during this time but also because Beth had a miscarriage once before however Grandmother MacLeod and her iron-fisted, stern attitude caused much more tension .Vanessa, Grandmother Macleod’s granddaughter was teaching who her grandma really is .Vanessa learns that her grandmother has been through some difficult times. Grandmother MacLeod controls her son Ewen …show more content…
However Grandmother MacLeod always puts it on Ewen for what has happened to her son. When she lost her son grandmother MacLeod thought she would also die but didn’t. Grandmother MacLeod tells Vanessa “God loves order and wants each of us to set our house in order”.pg. (--------------) Grandmother MacLeod is very controlling however also a very difficult life had. Grandmother has control of her son Ewen however she has a difficult like due ti her loss of her husband and her son Roderick and this difficult change in economy wan not easy on anyone especially Grandmother …show more content…
Grandmother MacLeod is so controlling over Ewen Grandmother MacLeod shows this when she criticizes Ewen for not having a maid that could help Beth around the house work and also when she slowly but aggressively forces Ewen to name the new baby boy Rod. Although Grandma MacLeod is always at home, she decided that Ewen was being ridiculous for not listening to her and Grandma MacLeod always thought she was right. Especially the actions of Ewen. She just assumes that he should do everything she asks of him although he is a grown man himself, She also feels that Ewen will always have this responsibility to do as she says because of what happened with his brother Roderick. Grandmother MacLeod has so much control over a, that all she has to do is give him sort of a glare and Ewen will give in. Grandmother MacLeod also feels that she has to control Ewen because she only has such few things that she has control over. Grandmother MacLeod has also had many difficult times in her life, this is shown when we learn that she has lost her husband, her grandchild and also the loss of her son Roderick. throughout the story , shows how grandmother MacLeod always gets these migraines and headaches showing that the losses that she had in her life was a big reason why to grandmother McLeod is always