What Is a House in Fiction?
A house is a building that serves as the primary shelter for one or more people. A person’s house may consist of a single-family dwelling or a grouping of family units, such as apartments in a row or townhouse. The term can also be applied to a group of buildings dedicated to a particular purpose, such as a carriage house or the lion house at a zoo. A house can also refer to a building where a deliberative body meets, such as the House of Representatives or the British Parliament’s House of Commons. House can also be used as a nickname for a specific type of company, such as a publishing house or a fashion house.
When describing houses in fiction, it’s important to consider their architecture, size, color, materials, landscaping, furniture, decor, lighting, sounds, smells, and unique features. These aspects can help create a vivid picture for the reader and enhance the story’s atmosphere and emotional response.
The character of House, portrayed by Hugh Laurie, is a brilliant, misanthropic doctor who uses his exceptional diagnostic skills and a crack team of doctors to solve difficult cases that come his way. He is a complex and memorable character, and his relationship with both of the women in his life is both rife with tension and sexual intrigue. The show has run for 13 seasons, and the characters have been developed well enough that the audience can identify with the problems faced by each of the main players.
Whether they’re made of wood or glass, brick or stone, a simple thatched cottage or a majestic Victorian mansion, a house is a place where a person lives and works. It can also serve as a repository for the person’s memories and experiences, from childhood to adulthood. Depending on the location, a house can also be surrounded by other structures, such as a garage or shed for cars and tools, a barn or stable for livestock, and a garden or lawn where food is grown.
A person’s house is usually the center of their personal and social life, a place where they feel secure and safe. In addition, it is where they nurture their family and friends, work or study, play games and sports, celebrate holidays, and grieve for those lost to death. A house can also be a symbol of power and status, as in the case of a prestigious university or an influential business house.
The term can also be used to describe a part of a building where a performance is held. A concert hall or theatre is sometimes referred to as a house, and the audience at a performance can be called “the house.” Tweed ordered a carafe of house wine, which was the cheapest on the menu. A restaurant’s house wine is the lowest-cost option for which they are legally able to charge customers.