“The fact that Connie’s interaction with Friend occurs on a Sunday but ‘none of [the family] bothered with church’ leaves her vulnerable and suggests that religion could . . . provide physical if not spiritual protection” (Caldwell). Caldwell continues this thought, saying “Although all the other members of Connie’s family go to a picnic, an activity that could replace .
She began to shut herself from her husband and most importantly, her son. The mother-son relationship has clearly died off. The lack of communication between Beth and Conrad affected Conrad in many ways. Beth’s cold attitude towards Conrad leads to his anger and how he wants to be left alone from everyone, including his father. Beth shuts out Cal from showing her real emotions on her favorite son’s accidental death, and lack of communication with Conrad brings the Jarrett family into an interpersonally distant family.
Holden feels depressed from the prior events in his family, and no longer has the desire to learn or strive to be successful. Holden feels distant from his family, and needs their loving care. After a rough childhood, Holden just needs someone, like Phoebe, there for him. He needs love and support from his family, and their sending him to boarding school to fend for himself is not a good idea. Holden can’t find a true friend in anyone, and he is trying to fill the hole that his brother’s death left in his life.
Lula did not seem happy when Calpurnia brings Jen and Scout to the church. Lula thinks that it is not right for Calpurnia to bring white kids to a Negro church and does not welcome them appropriately. However Jem and Scout are welcomed by other people in church. Scout notices that their way of praying in church is way different than the way white people pray. The way Calpurnia talks with Lula, questions Scout.
Also, her lack of intelligence has left her with no job and an inability to get a job. In the story, there are many reasons contributing to Jean’s feeling of emptiness and difficulty in her life. To begin, her husband, Ross feels as though he has married beneath himself, and he does not love her anymore. Their marriage was most likely caused by Jean getting pregnant with their son, which made Ross feel like he had to marry her out of force. In the story, Ross specifically tells their son, Kevin that he should try not to marry beneath himself because he will end up stuck in the same situation as him.
They include having many failures, not having any close friends, and the loss of his younger brother Allie. Since his many failures at school, Holden has been in a downward spiral that will eventually lead to his mental break down. Not being able to talk to any close friends makes Holden’s depression much worse. Holden thinks that he should be dead instead of his brother Allie which does not help with his depression. If Holden’s parents had let him go to a school near his apartment he might have been able to establish a few long term relationships.
Chris decided to drift away from everybody. Choosing to be alone and not care about your family was arrogant of him. In chapter 12, Chris found out about his father living a double life. He decided to keep that a secret from everyone, including his father. For example,
Did the creator of the universe create the heavens, seas, humans, and the sun in six days? When I was younger, these stories weren’t just stories but factual history to me. But I went through a phase of total disbelief and rejection of anything that is Catholic. One time, my mom urged me to go with her to a Catholic seminar where this special group of Catholic nuns and priest only visit San Jose once in a while. It wasn’t mass but I vaguely remember it was more of a long, intense session of prayer.
When Kamps’ mother died and she was pregnant, she needed the church the most. However, even though the priest knew her, he did not unlock the church. Kamps felt this moment in her life “was a nail in the coffin of [her] traditional beliefs” (136). She began to follow nature and strive to be like the tree with “grace and elegant treeness”
Joseph’s lack of support to the family triggered a divorce. His inability to overcome negative thoughts pushed him into depression and alcoholism. After the divorce, Joseph was denied a chance to be with his wife and children. He denied his children a chance to have a fatherly figure, and this is one of the contributions to his inner thoughts about his family. When he reflects back on how he was one time in love with his wife, he develops thoughts of having another sexual relationship as noticed by his attempt to date another woman without success.