In the narrative, the father reflects on the impact of his wife’s drinking, questioning whether it was his fault. However, the author portrays this as an oversimplification of addiction, emphasizing that the complexities of alcoholism go beyond a mere cause-and-effect reasoning. The father's concern stems from a misunderstanding common among those who do not struggle with addiction themselves.

The author suggests that his mother’s loneliness after her children grew up contributed to her drinking, yet he ultimately asserts that her primary issue was her alcoholism itself. This distinction highlights the difference between emotional circumstances and the medical or psychological condition of addiction, reinforcing the idea that addiction often exists independently of external factors.