History Literature / HouseOfSandAndFog

* DeadSparks: At some point after they married Lester became unable to see his wife as a lover, feeling a sense of wrongness as if she were his sister. As a result he begins having an affair with Kathy.

* FaceDeathWithDignity: In the film, unlike the book, [[spoiler: Colonel Behrani is composed and dignified as he kills his wife and then himself]].
* FormerRegimePersonnel: The Colonel was part of the Shah's military before the revolution came and forced him to flee with his family. He wasn't directly involved in the human rights abuses that were committed in the Shah's name, but admittedly he knew about them and didn't do much besides avoiding association with people who were. Since escaping Iran he's put his former career behind him.

* LighterAndSofter: Dark as it is, the film's ending is this to the novel. [[spoiler:After his son dies, Behrani finds Kathy still in his home and strangles her; she doesn't die. (This scene was shot and is available as a deleted scene) Behrani later suffocates his wife with a pillow before killing himself. In the film, she goes willingly with a poisoned drink. The film also omits Kathy going to prison.]]

''House of Sand and Fog'' is a 1999 novel written by Andre Dubus III. It was later made into a 2003 film diected by Vadim Perelman, starring Creator/BenKingsley and Creator/JenniferConnelly.

* YourCheatingHeart: Lester is a married man with kids, but no longer feels passion for his wife. Upon meeting Kathy he begins having an affair with her.

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* HonorRelatedKilling: Back when they lived in Iran, Colonel Behrani's brother shot his own daughter for shaming the family with her sexual transgressions. Despite sharing his brother's conservative mores, the Colonel can't imagine himself being able to kill his own child.

* AdaptationDistillation: The film for the most part is faithful to the novel up until the ending which is considerably darker in the source material.

* BothSidesHaveAPoint[=/=]GreyAndGrayMorality: The story refuses to take a side as both main characters have valid reasons for refusing to relinquish the house.

* DiabolusExMachina: Deputy Lester Burdon essentially fulfills this in the third act. Less so in the novel where his character is more developed but in the film his character's role in the climax is considerably jarring.

* ShootTheShaggyDog: [[spoiler:No one wins. Behrani's son is killed, and he kills his wife and then himself. Lester and (in the novel) Kathy are arrested and wait trial.]]
* SuicidePact: [[spoiler:Behrani and his wife]] agree to commit suicide together.
* UnconfessedUnemployment: Behrani doesn't want to admit to his family that the only work he can find is as a trash collector and convenience store clerk. He makes a point of wearing a suit and tie whenever he's at home.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/house_of_sand_and_fog_1689.jpg]]

''House of Sand and Fog'' is a novel written by Andre Dubus III. It was later made into a film by Vadim Perelman starring BenKingsley and Creator/JenniferConnelly.

* DressingToDie: Colonel Behrani puts on his uniform before committing suicide.

!!The novel and film include examples of:
* AdaptationDistillation - The film for the most part is faithful to the novel up until the ending which is considerably darker in the source material.

* BothSidesHaveAPoint[=/=]GreyAndGrayMorality - The story refuses to take a side as both main characters have valid reasons for refusing to relinquish the house.
* CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot - Kathy's lawyer points out the whole situation would have been averted if she had just checked her mail.
* CreatorCameo - Dubus has a cameo in the film.
* DiabolusExMachina - Deputy Lester Burdon essentially fulfills this in the third act. Less so in the novel where his character is more developed but in the film his character's role in the climax is considerably jarring.
* DownerEnding - It doesn't end well for anyone.
* HowWeGotHere - The film opens and ends with the same scene of Kathy's character staring blankly at her house.
* LighterAndSofter - Dark as it is, the film's ending is this to the novel. [[spoiler:After his son dies, Behrani finds Kathy still in his home and strangles her; she doesn't die. (This scene was shot and is available as a deleted scene) Behrani later suffocates his wife with a pillow before killing himself. In the film, she goes willingly with a poisoned drink. The film also omits Kathy going to prison.]]
* ShootTheShaggyDog - [[spoiler:No one wins. Behrani's son is killed, and he kills his wife and then himself. Lester and (in the novel) Kathy are arrested and wait trial.]]
* UnconfessedUnemployment - Behrani doesn't want to admit to his family that the only work he can find is as a trash collector and convenience store clerk. He makes a point of wearing a suit and tie whenever he's at home.

* FakeNationality - Ben Kingsley playing an Iranian.

Kathy, a former drug addict, loses her Californian bungalow in an unfair legal dispute with the county and has nowhere else to go. Massoud Amir Behrani, an Iranian immigrant living the United States, buys it in hopes that he can fix it and sell it for a higher price to help his family. Both believe that they are entitled to the house and the conflict turns to tragedy.

''House of Sand and Fog'' is a novel written by Andre Dubus III. It was later made into a film by Vadim Perelman starring BenKingsley and JenniferConnelly.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/house_of_sand_and_fog_1689.jpg]]'''''House of Sand and Fog''''' is a novel written by Andre Dubus III. It was later made into a film by Vadim Perelman starring BenKingsley and JenniferConnelly.

Kathy, a former drug addict, loses her Californian bungalow in an unfair legal dispute with the country and has nowhere else to go. Massoud Amir Behrani, an Iranian immigrant living the United States, buys it in hopes that he can fix it and sell it for a higher price to help his family. Both believe that they are entitled to the house and the conflict turns to tragedy.

* WeCouldHaveAvoidedAllThis - Kathy's lawyer points out the whole situation would have been averted if she had just checked her mail.

* UnconfessedUnemployment - Behrani doesn't want to admit to his family that the only work he can find is as a construction worker. He makes a point of wearing a suit and tie whenever he's at home.

* UnconfessedUnemployment - Behrani lead doesn't want to admit to his family that the only work he can find is as a construction worker. He makes a point of wearing a suit and tie whenever he's at home.

* ShootTheShaggyDog - [[spoiler:No one wins. Behrani's son is killed, and he kills his wife and himself. Lester and (in the novel) Kathy are arrested and wait trial.]]