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Money
During 1942, many people did not have an immense amount of money. Lack of money lead Jay and Arthur (Arty) Kurnitz to live with their German grandmother in Yonkers, New York while their father worked out of state. He needed $9,000 to pay off a debt. Readers also see that money steers Uncle Louie's life. He gets involved with crime to gain money. He would preform these actions with certainty because he knew all the tricks. He hides from people because of crimes he has committed. When Jay and Arty ask him about his work he tends to seem defensive. He says, "You wanna know what I do? I'm a businessman. I'm a free-lance money manager. A twenty-four-house-a-day investment adviser." (Simon 83) Then, the conversation of money makes its way back to the surface. Aunt Bella wants to marry a man who needs money from her in order to open a restaurant. This talk creates arguments in family to where his real motives lie. All together, money causes the Kurnitz family problems causing separation, madness, and disappointment.
Death
Jay and Arty's mother died due to cancer, which caused their debt. Living without their mother effected their lives little by little. When their dad left, Jay and Arty became aware of their loneliness for her and their dad. Arty wrote to his father describing the atmosphere as, "Really, really bad...Last night I cred for you...and for Mom." (Simon 104) The death made them persevere. The death, or deaths in this case, that effected everyone in the story belonged to Rose and Aaron. These lives got cut short. They died at a very young age. Grandma had to bury her own children. Living with the fact that she outlived her children acted as her greatest sin Grandma confessed. Grandma treated everyone with sternness inside but nobody realized death continually traveled in her mind.
Author: Annemarie C.
