Charles’s inability to resolve the resentment he feels toward his mother is the main source of conflict with his family and his past. Poor communication has contributed significantly to his estrangement from his family, particularly his mother. Charles felt neglected by his mother but never voiced his feelings. This lack of communication and closure left him with deep-seated anger and resentment, which fueled the decision he made to distance himself from his family. When discussing the day he moved out, Charles wonders if he should “say what he finally did say” (62). This momentary reluctance, coupled with his distant and detached demeanor during the visit, illustrates how effortful confronting his mother truly is.

Since the family home is ultimately a proxy for stability and safety, the story highlights Charles’s estrangement by presenting the emotional effects it had on him. After he moved out of his mother’s home, he remembers he “cried all the way up to Knoxville” (62). His inability to communicate honestly and openly made it difficult for him to connect with his relatives while away, straining the relationship even further and compromising his children’s relationships with their extended family. Eva seems surprised when she sees Charles and doubts it, saying: “I never ever hear from Charles” (54).