“Better Homes and Gardens” is in the genre short story and the subgenre is realistic fiction that interpret the real life of a homeless family. It is written by Catherine Moffat. Catherine Moffat is an author, who works as a Liberian. Many of her short stories has been published in a number of magazines and anthologies. She writes in a range of genres including crime and speculative fiction Many of her stories have strong social justice themes and deal with the lives of people on the margins - at the edge of themselves and the edge of society. That is also the case in Better Homes and Gardens that treats the theme hope/hopefulness despite the situation. Therefore, the essay will have an emphasis on characterization, setting, theme and message.
The short story span over several of days, which is indicated by references to the days of the week and the family’s routine.
The main setting it is in the family´s car. This is where they live and have all their belonging in: “We change into our swimmers in the car and Dad shakes the creases out of our school uniforms and hangs them up next to his shirts on the coat-hangers suspended above the back seat window” (ll. 7-9). The short story is set in Australia nearby the ocean:” We’re on our way to visit your grandparents in Queensland” (ll. 44). Queensland, which is located in the northeast part of Australia and it has a coastline with beaches, where the family spends a lot of time their time on. This is the spot where they take showers and also play, do homework and go swimming. They also spend time in the park, a laundromat where they watch television and at the library on Saturdays. The father has created stability even though that they do not have a shower, television, computer and etcetera he has stayed optimism about their situation and has been creating a new kind of everyday life for his family after losing almost everything in his life.
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