The narrator reflects on his mother's belief that the war irrevocably altered his father, Sam Hall, implying that the man who returned was a shadow of the man she once loved. This view suggests a deep emotional truth regarding the impact of trauma, but it also serves to sidestep a more universal reality: people change over time regardless of external circumstances, including war.

This acknowledgment of change highlights the complexity of human relationships and our perceptions of others. We often think we fully understand those close to us, yet our judgments can be clouded by assumptions about their identities. Life experiences, whether monumental or mundane, shape individuals in ways that might elude us.