Dysfunction

Dynamics of dysfunction are central to the novel’s story, as the narrative illustrates interpersonal connection as vital, but also challenging. The familial dysfunction between Charlotte, Lee, Cord, and Regan is a centerpiece of the story, and the novel highlights this dysfunction in order to emphasize the unhealthy nature of unstable family relationships. For example, the novel acknowledges that dysfunction is stressful, and thus it can lead to erosion of personal health. Cord relapses due to the stress of being with his family, and Lee’s mental illness becomes exacerbated. None of the family desire this dysfunction, but they also sometimes feel helpless to fix it. At one point, Charlotte worries that “Her children, it seemed, were irredeemably messed up” (222). The novel thereby extends understanding and sympathy in relation to persistent familial dysfunction, while also illustrating the urgent necessity of remedying those dysfunctional dynamics whenever possible...