46 pages 1 hour read

Samuel Shem

The House of God

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1978

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Essay Topics

1.

If you were a patient, would you rather be treated by someone with the Fat Man’s hands-off approach, or Jo’s hands-on approach? 

2.

What points do you think Shem is trying to make about the medical system at the time that the book was written? Use textual evidence to support your argument.

3.

Do you agree with Updike’s statement that the sex in The House of God is portrayed as a “mutual relief” (xvi)? Does Roy’s relationship with Berry play an ethical role in his sexual relationships at the hospital?