“There was nothing worse than having to feel sorry for people who had wronged you. You don't want lottery wins for your enemies, but you don't want tragedies for them either. Then they got the upper hand. Damn those Delaneys.”
The Delaneys are the textbook definition of a perfect family and marriage from the perspective of outsiders. Similarly, close friends and relatives have this impression of them but some have past resentments against them, which are yet to be resolved. In this case, Teresa Geer—the former friend and in-law to the Delaneys—hears of the news about Joy’s disappearance which resurrects her anger. Though the family is picture-perfect from the outside, they have directly or indirectly hurt some of the close people in their lives. Teresa’s daughter Claire was married to Troy Delaney, who cheated on her breaking their marriage. As soon as Teresa hears of the news she blames the husband, as she is somehow aware of the dysfunction in the family. This echoes the main conflict in the narrative which revolves around betrayals and the unresolved past.
“That was the secret of a happy marriage: step away from the rage.”
Though the Delaneys’ marriage seem happy and perfect, taking to account its longevity, it is far from good, partially due to the loopholes that Joy and Stan have managed to utilize to make it functional. However, with this comes the resentments that put a strain on their marital relationship over time. Joy’s disappearance and the family drama disclose that the household harbors so much anger that has built up. For instance, Joy is irritated by Stan’s inability to be accessible and available in the marriage even after retirement. Their flaws are shown but also the reason for their durable marriage, which is their ability to not act on their anger towards each other. Nonetheless, this proves ineffectual since they eventually have to confront the issues that trigger the rage in the first place.
“Once you’ve hit a ball there’s no point watching to see where it’s going. You can’t change its flight path now. You have to think about your next move. Not what you should have done. What you do now.”
The novel dwells on familial relationships and ugly pasts that contribute to the problems that define their present. As such, the characters have to work through the issues by focusing on what is ahead rather than residing in the past. Being a tennis family, the narrative is filled with tennis references that act as a metaphor for the maladies in the Delaneys household. In this instance, the quote refers to the relationship between the parents once Joy returns from her sabbatical. Before her disappearance, uncomfortable truths had been exposed that were left unsettled and now the air has to be cleared. It becomes apparent that Joy played a role in Stan’s tennis protégé Harry Haddad leaving his camp for another coach. Obsessed with his talent, it is obvious that Stan would be extremely furious about his wife’s actions. But as the statement implies, Stan chooses to move on and understand Joy’s decision which was actually for the sake of the family.
