Many of the events of this story follow a cyclical pattern: brothers leaving and returning home; the changing of the seasons; Lyman’s loss of the car on the first and last pages. As time marches forward through the story, how do these cycles shape the characters?

Somewhere between the main narrative and the point from which Lyman tells this story, Lyman grew up. His nostalgic gaze and stoic acceptance of tragedy indicate a major shift in the way he experiences life. What does Coming of Age mean in this story? Does the story depict a single moment when Lyman becomes a man, or is it a more gradual transformation?

Henry and Lyman sit in extended silence together regularly. However, there are different kinds of silences, and not all of them are desirable. Give examples from the text of at least two different moments of silence. What makes a good silence different from a bad one?