The following is an analysis of the novel Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson.

”Her bread was tender and her jelly was tart, and on rainy days she made cookies and applesauce. In the summer she kept roses in a vase on the piano, huge, pungent roses, and when the blooms ripened and the petals fell, she put them in a tall Chinese jar, with cloves and thyme and sticks of cinnamon. Her children slept on starched sheets under layers of quilts, and in the morning her curtains filled with light the way sails fill with wind” (Robinson 11-12).

The quote above describes grandma Silvia and how she fulfilled the dictionary definition of housekeeping. She cooked, decorated, cleaned and watched over the children. Robinson made sure Ruth used exquisite imagery and detail when explaining the tasks her grandmother completed around the house, especially with the roses. Ruth was completely unaware of her grandmother and mother, during the time she expressed her experiences on paper. Being able to describe her grandmother in such detail with minimal background knowledge demonstrates that whoever told Ruth about her grandmother was a loyal admirer of her housekeeping status. Mentioning how great someone is at housekeeping isn’t very common unless they're extraordinary at performing their tasks. Silvia is continuously applauded for her house warming skills. Robinson's purposely provides this information about Silvia at the beginning of the novel to provide a sharp contrast between Silvia and her daughter, Sylvie. Throughout this book, I questioned how it was even possible for a neat and organized woman to raise a child with a chaotic personality like Sylvie's. Sylvie reminds me of Amelia Bedelia, the humorous character of the popular children’s book. Sylvie’s mindset is very interesting and does not correspond with the 1950’s definition of housekeeping and the role of the woman at home, which keeps the reader engaged in the uncanny activities Sylvie has planned.

The novel is likely named Housekeeping because housekeepers suffer the burden of having to complete abandoned tasks that some find arduous. They sometimes encounter unpleasant or uncomfortable situations with their jobs. Similarly, the young women in this novel experience difficulty and sadness, especially with the death they witnessed. Though they may not have done any physical labor, Lucille and Ruth are essentially ”housekeeping” their lives. They go through the struggle of not having parents to look up to, or a school that fits their personalities. Housekeeping is a great novel. I admire that Robinson leaves room for the reader to throughly consider the theme and meanings behind each interaction— it’s truly inspiring.