When you think of the perfect mid-century American home, you probably picture the living room from I Love Lucy or the kitchen from Leave It To Beaver, or something like that. But in Something Happened, Slocum's home is not that kind of cute, happy paradise.
For Slocum, home is more than just a physical space. It's a dwelling for a very particular group of people: the members of his family. Everyone walks around on eggshells, unsure of who is mad at whom and when it's safe to speak. As in Slocum's office, the home has its own implicit set of rules that everyone has come to perfect after so many years of practice. It's also the only place the family feels comfortable keeping Derek, because it's here that he can be out of sight, and therefore out of mind.
Home is by no means a safe haven for Slocum. It's more of his personal hell.
Questions About The Home
- How does Slocum maintain separation between his professional life and his private life?
- How does the Slocum household treat guests? Are those like Derek's nanny received with open arms?
- Is the home an accurate reflection of one's general happiness?
- What is the relationship between the Slocum household and the American obsession with commodities?
Chew on This
In Something Happened, Slocum's wife is unaware of Slocum's infidelities, and this is why she doesn't bring up the topic when Slocum returns home after having been with other women.
In Something Happened, Slocum's wife is very much aware of her husband's infidelities, since this is something that's expected of most men who work in the city. Yet she chooses not to bring up the topic when Slocum returns home, because it wouldn't get her anywhere.