Lessing, Doris: 1919 - 2013
The Fifth Child, 1988 - Thematic Parallels: Family Life
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Lessing, Doris: The Fifth Child, 1988, ~300pp
This is a novel that explores the clash between conventional middle-class ideals of family life and the darker, uncontrollable forces of human nature. - The following books are thematically simliar. They lend themselves well to being read in groups, compared with one another, or used to teach a similar topic over an extended period with a class:
Achebe, Chinua: Things Fall Apart, 1958, ~200pp
This is a novel about family and societal disruption.
- Both novels both explore how a seemingly strong, traditional order collapses under external pressure, leaving individuals isolated, families fractured, and societies forever changed.- Cooper, J. California: Family, 1991, ~230pp
This is a novel novel explicitly focused on family life.
- Both novels use the family unit to explore larger forces—slavery, trauma, inheritance, and social expectations. Each shows how family is both essential for survival and deeply vulnerable to disruption. Hornby, Nick: About a Boy, 1998, ~280pp
A novel featuring unconventional family relationships and emotional growth.
- "The Fifth Child" is a tragic, gothic exploration of the family unraveling under the pressure of difference, while "About a Boy" is a comic, redemptive tale of how difference can create growth. Both novels, however, revolve around the disruptive child figure, the fragility of “normal” families, and the negotiation between isolation and connection.- Williams, Tennessee: The Glass Menagerie, 1945, ~130pp
This is a play which focuses on family dynamics, psychological conflict, and societal pressures.
- Both works explore the fragility of family life, the tension between idealized dreams and harsh realities, the alienation of certain family members, and the emotional strain caused by these pressures.
- List of general discussion questions on Family Life (pdf)
- List of essay prompts on Family Life (pdf)