What are the motifs in Growing Up by Russell Baker?

Throughout Russell's life, his mother pushes him to "make something of himself". She wants her son to be a success, and she believes that with hard work, success will follow. Russell's mother defines success for her son as a good job, making a good living. She also wants him to have a good woman. However, when Russell breaks up with Mimi, his mother sees that he's unhappy, and she realizes that happiness, too, is part of success. If Mimi makes him happy, then perhaps that's more important than her idea of a good woman for her son.