Lynette and Doreen's House

Lynette and Doreen's house is one of the novel's primary settings. The house is located in North Portland, near the freeway. Doreen has lived in the house for many years. It is also where both Lynette and Kenny grew up. In the narrative present, the house is falling apart, and the landlord refuses to fix anything. Though this bothers Doreen, Lynette does not mind. She is determined to accept the landlord's reasonable offer for the house, and renovate it afterwards.

When Lynette learns that Doreen is no longer interested in helping with the purchase, she becomes distraught. While the house is a symbol of entrapment for Doreen, it is a symbol of hope and possibility for Lynette. Throughout the novel, Lynette does everything in her power to accrue the money she needs to assist Doreen with the loan. By the end of the narrative, however...