First and foremost, this story confused me thoroughly. Just when I believed I knew what was occurring, the next paragraph would throw me a curveball. Despite this, however, I feel as though I may have an understanding of one theme of this story. This story portrays the confusion of being an adult.
What happened to those bright days when the sun was still rising? Soon it will be Midsummer and the light beginning to die back, imperceptibly at first, a few minutes a day, and then the gradual forcing back indoors earlier and earlier, helpless against the dark” (Winterson 633).
This quote shows the helplessness that many adults feel when realizing the world is not as it seemed when they were children. The main character is a father in an unhappy relationship, and he lives off of his daughter’s love and caring for the lawn. It is his place in the family, making sure the lawn, or superficial parts of their lives, are manicured and look presentable. This man is so stagnant in his life that he finds the slightest happiness from random things.