The Shining Houses

1) Explain what type of narration is used in this story.
There is retrospective narration used in this story.

2) How is "The Shining Houses" structured? Why do you suppose Munro structured the narrative this way?
"The Shining Houses" is structured to give you some information about Mrs. Fullertons story as well as the neighbourhoods story about not wanting Mrs. Fullerton to live there. The story is structured this way to make you feel bad for Mrs. Fullerton.

3) Discuss irony in the story with respect to the title.
The irony in the story with respect to the title is the fact that the shining houses sounds cheerful but neither the houses or the people living in them are "shinny".

4) What distinction does the story highlight in terms of the difference between legal and moral?
The story highlights that the house was not really something that was going to benefit the neighbourhood and the neighbours were going by it legally, but were not going with the morals on the fact that they didn't take into consideration of how Mrs. Fullerton felt.

5) Sketch Mary's character. (note: this doesn't mean draw her, rather it means to describe her in terms of the definition above)
Mary is a mother who is caring and gentle. She is very helpful and cares about her community. She is very respectful of people and their feelings and she is kind hearted.