Retirement and the Elderly

Retirement and the elderly is a dominant theme of the book and a common problem in society. Both Enid and Alfred have always looked forward to their retirement. Enid wanted to travel and have a good time. Alfred always thought that his retirement would consist of hunting, fishing, and recreation. He buys a shotgun for that purpose. However, it did not work out that way for either of them. Alfred just sits in his chair in the basement hour after hour. He might watch television but does little else because of his illness. Enid keeps nagging him to take up a hobby and tells him what all of the other people she knows are doing and this only increases the tension between them. He isn't interested in anything and Enid can't get him interested in anything. Enid thinks things will be different when they go...