Static Summary & Analysis

Again, Anthony’s mother expresses her “contempt, accusation, disdain, [and] puzzled faux-innocence” through indirect means (like facial expressions) rather than directly through conversation. As a result, Anthony doesn’t feel like he can openly express himself in return, and so kindness becomes a weaponized way to “thwart” his mother rather than something genuine. In this way, the lack of clear communication between mother and son drives a wedge in their relationship.

Anthony’s father probably notices the tension between Anthony and his mother, but he chooses to “keep the peace” and focus on the cricket match rather than get involved. This is similar to Anthony’s determination to be polite to his mother, as neither man seems to want to risk speaking up and making matters worse. But, crucially, this means that unspoken conflict in Anthony’s family is never clearly articulated or solved, since none of them are willing to confront one another or openly discuss even minor problems.

The stranger at the grocery store was buying simple, prepackaged food for their Christmas meal, a stark contrast to the elaborate menu that Marie insists on making for Anthony’s family. Though this difference may seem minor, it could imply—at least in Anthony’s mind—that this person and their family are more focused on spending time together than on impressing one another. His family, on the other hand, is highly critical and difficult to please. Given that Anthony longed to go home with the stranger, this seems to be the sort of easygoing family he wishes he could be part of. In particular, his description of wanting to curl up in the backseat is similar to the way that a child, or even a dog, might ride in a car. This subtly implies that Anthony wants to be unconditionally loved and nurtured in the way people tend to treat young children or beloved pets—treatment that his parents and Marie don’t seem willing to give him.

Anthony’s mother has no idea what her grandchildren want for Christmas, which implies that she doesn’t have a particularly close relationship with them—or, by extension, with Anthony’s sister. The way she frets over how expensive the gift is (rather than if it’s personal or heartfelt enough) perhaps suggests that she hopes to buy Tom’s affection if she gives him an extravagant enough present.

Marie’s “hysteria” over the Christmas meal again characterizes her as someone who needs to feel in control—and when she doesn’t, she suppresses her emotions until her anger finally erupts. This tense dynamic shuts down any productive communication between her and Anthony, further adding to the responsibility Anthony feels to remain calm and keep the peace between them. In addition, Marie’s comment about the lounge suite again shows that she’s preoccupied with curating an image that’s well-manicured and enviable to other people. Yet, judging by this bitter exchange between her and Anthony, their relationship doesn’t match up with the appearance Marie wants to present—and buying a different color lounge suite won’t solve their problems.

That Anthony misses Marie’s “old smile” suggests that he also misses what the smile represents: the happy, unselfconscious woman Marie used to be. Now, Marie has adopted an artificially cold, composed persona that makes it difficult for her and Anthony to authentically connect. Their relationship is no longer founded on genuineness and vulnerability, and as a result, Anthony longs for who Marie used to be rather than enjoying his relationship with her in the present.

Just prior to this passage, the story alluded to the fact that Marie is a lawyer—and her approach to conceiving a baby isn’t all that different from a legal battle. She seems to believe that she’ll be guaranteed the outcome she wants as long as she does “everything right” and presents a strong case to the doctor. This, of course, isn’t realistic, since fertility issues are often complex and difficult to treat. Trying to control the conception process makes it seem forced and unnatural rather than exciting, which is perhaps why “conception enhancement” sounds so foreign and even sinister to Anthony. Notably, though, Anthony doesn’t voice his own opinion about their fertility problems or about parenthood more generally, which raises the question of if he even wants to have a child. It’s possible that he’s going along with the fertility treatments because he feels trapped and unable to contradict Marie, much like his dynamic with his mother.

Again, although Anthony’s mother isn’t overtly rude here, her warning implies that she doesn’t think Anthony is competent enough to complete a simple task like pitting cherries. This is another example of how Anthony’s mother criticizes her son even while putting forth a veneer of polite concern, likely making him feel infantilized and disrespected.

This memory hearkens back to Anthony’s desire to go home with the person ahead of him in line at the grocery store. Both indicate that he finds comfort in the ease and simplicity of childhood, perhaps because his current family dynamic is so stifling and difficult to navigate. Judging by Marie’s career as a lawyer (as well as details like the new lounge suite and the elaborate food Marie is making), she and Anthony seem to be quite well-off. Yet their marriage is far from perfect, and in fact, their wealth makes Anthony feel guilty rather than happy or fulfilled. This begins to suggest that money can’t buy happiness—and, in fact, it can be a major source of shame.

Although the blockage in Anthony’s ear was literal, his memory of it alludes to figurative obstacles in his life. The wax that built up in his ear is similar to how his problems have subtly and gradually accumulated over time—now, he’s ended up with a family, a marriage, and indeed an entire lifestyle that don’t seem to suit him. These things muffle Anthony’s own sense of self, much like the blockage in his ear muffled sound.

Anthony’s mother’s comment about Marie and Anthony having everything they need could be taken as a joke or even a compliment on the surface. But given Anthony’s previous description of her “puzzled faux-innocence,” it’s likely that she intends this as a veiled insult, perhaps insinuating that Marie and Anthony’s wealth makes them shallow or arrogant. In this sense, money is again shown to be a source of guilt and conflict in Anthony’s family. Readers also know from Anthony’s thoughts earlier in the story that Marie’s “gracious, close-lipped smile” isn’t genuine. Both Marie and Anthony’s mother, then, are hiding what they really mean behind a veneer of politeness, adding another layer of unspoken tension to this family gathering. Meanwhile, Anthony’s reflection about “Tinker, Tailor” hints that he’s cynical about modern career paths (as opposed to the more traditional professions in the original song), perhaps because he’s dissatisfied with his own job.

Anthony seems to miss the nickname “Ant,” which he associates with the person he was before he and Marie purchased their new, expensive home. In this sense, achieving the material trappings of success has made Anthony unhappy rather than fulfilled. Equating signing the mortgage with illness and a flatlined heartbeat even suggests that living this lifestyle has brought about a kind of emotional or spiritual death for Anthony. He no longer feels like his true self, just as he no longer feels like Marie is the same joyful, authentic person she was years ago.

Anthony’s mother only becomes “maudlin” (oversentimental) when she’s drunk, which contrasts with how closed-off and unaffectionate she is when she’s sober. She’s seemingly upset about the fact that she doesn’t see her children and grandchildren very often and that time seems to be running out. Yet readers know that this dynamic is, at least in part, a result of her refusal to openly share her emotions—instead, she manipulates her loved ones into feeling guilty or incompetent. This implies that if Anthony’s mother were to be open with her emotions and show her family unconditional love rather than disapproval, they would perhaps be closer than they are.

When Anthony looks through the camera’s viewfinder, he’s able to see his family from “the middle”—that is, from an impartial outsider’s perspective. He perceives “how [Margaret] sees [Anthony and Marie] and how they see her.” In other words, he can see both how one might view Anthony and Marie as happier and better-off than Margaret (since they have more money and are perhaps more conventionally attractive), but also how Margaret looks genuinely happy while Marie actually looks miserable. That Anthony is able to recognize this perhaps hints that he longs for the sort of genuine warmth that Marie lacks, and that Margaret emanates. Moreover, his reflection about Hannah and Tom’s posed smiles suggests that he feels disillusioned by people’s tendency to be inauthentic for the sake of maintaining appearances and pleasing other people.

The fact that Tom and Hannah likely got “good clothes” for Christmas is indicative of Margaret and Ian’s financial struggles, since they have to prioritize basic necessities like clothing over toys or other presents. Anthony’s emotional reaction to this again implies that his wealth makes him feel guilty, especially when he realizes how much more he has than his sister and her children. On another note, Anthony’s “man to man” talk with Tom suggests that he feels a unique kinship with his nephew, given that he hasn’t spoken candidly with any of his other family members during this party.

Anthony sees himself as the family peacekeeper, so he wants to placate his mother and ensure that her feelings aren’t hurt. This could be interpreted as an act of kindness, but it also ensures that his mother won’t be confronted about her hurtful behavior and thus perpetuates the family’s pattern of inauthentic communication. In this way, what Anthony is asking of Tom is a short-term solution, not a long-term one. The dilemma about the TV, meanwhile, is yet another instance in which Anthony’s affluence becomes a source of guilt and tension rather than something that brings him happiness. His reflections about Tom being “too troubled for a ten-year-old” amid “all those deadly rays” perhaps hints that he sees himself in his nephew: both of them are “troubled” by things that shouldn’t necessarily be their responsibility, and both fall victim to Anthony’s mother and Marie’s “deadly rays.” But Anthony feels that he has to stop himself from hugging Tom, perhaps because his family’s closed-off, unaffectionate dynamic makes any intimate gesture seem off-limits.

Tom’s affection toward Anthony’s mother is “muted” and dutiful rather than genuine, perhaps because he senses that his grandmother isn’t particularly interested in him—only in letting everyone know how much she spent on the gift. In this way, money is hindrance rather than an asset to their relationship, as it overshadows any genuine connection they could potentially have. Meanwhile, Anthony suggests that his mother is only interested in babies, not older children—and it’s possible that knowing this makes Anthony feel pressured to have a baby of his own, regardless of whether or not he wants to be a father. His reflection that people learn not to trust his mother is yet another indication that Anthony’s relationship with her is devoid of honesty and authenticity, which makes their relationship stressful rather than comforting and fulfilling.

Again, Marie vents her anger privately (here, through exercise) rather than openly discussing problems with Anthony, which has clearly strained their relationship. Marie researches their fertility issues as though it’s “a case they have to win,” meaning that she’s approaching conception in the same methodical, businesslike way that she would approach her work as a lawyer. In this way, she’s trying to do the impossible: taking the emotional aspect out of an undertaking that’s inherently emotional and personal. This makes Anthony even more alienated from their conception process and from Marie, to the point that he feels entirely unloved and dissatisfied with their relationship.

Anthony’s eagerness to escape the party again speaks to how stifled he feels around his family due to their lack of support or open communication. He knows that Margaret will have to “keep the peace” when he leaves the room, as his mother (and likely Marie) will be critical rather than supportive of him in his absence. Playing with Tom appeals to him, though, seemingly because his nephew is one of the few family members he can genuinely connect with. Furthermore, Margaret thinks that Anthony is “great with kids,” which perhaps suggests that Anthony does want to become a father—but not in the forced, controlled way that Marie wants him to.

Anthony’s reflection about the garden needing “zero care” is a subtle parallel to his life with Marie. Despite looking expensive and manicured on the surface, their entire relationship (much like their home and garden) is low-effort and devoid of any real care. His thought that “Rays” are connecting him with Tom points back to his mother and Marie’s “Evil Rays,” glances that convey everything that goes unsaid in Anthony’s interactions with them. This perhaps hints that his interactions with Tom over the walkie-talkie will similarly convey things that usually go unsaid in Anthony’s life.

Anthony’s desire to hear “the smile again in his nephew’s voice” suggests that he feels an easy, enjoyable connection with Tom that he doesn’t experience with his other family members. This hints that Anthony does like children, as Margaret believes, and that he may want to be a father. But from Anthony’s imaginary (or perhaps remembered) exchange with Marie, readers learn that he doesn’t seem to want to have a baby as much as she does. This could be because he has doubts about becoming a parent, which is arguably justified given his strained relationship with his own parents. But more likely, it’s because he has doubts about his marriage. Anthony’s speechlessness after this shows how difficult it is for him to openly express himself even about things that matter deeply to him—likely because Marie and his mother have made him feel like he doesn’t have the option to do so.

Here, the “static and space” on the walkie-talkie hearken back to Anthony’s memory of his blocked ear, which is anatomically similarly to “the inside of a shell.” The static, like the wax that was lodged in Anthony’s ear, prevents him from hearing clearly. This symbolizes the gap in communication between Anthony and his family members, which prevents him from “hearing”—that is, perceiving and understanding—his relationships or his own desires clearly.

Here, Anthony experiences a sensation that’s very similar to when the doctor removed the built-up wax from his ear: in both cases, a blockage is dislodged to “let bright sound in.” It’s important that the static on the walkie-talkie dissipates at the same moment he realizes that he'll never be able to have a baby with Marie. This suggests that just as Anthony is able to literally hear more clearly, he’s also able to figuratively hear his own desires with newfound clarity. Up until this point, Anthony has felt criticized and pressured by his mother and Marie to believe certain things about himself (that he’ll “never grow up” or that he has to have a child on Marie’s terms, for instance). Now, just as Anthony can suddenly hear more clearly, he has a sudden moment of clarity that he is, in fact, in control of his own life.

Anthony hears Tom’s voice immediately after his epiphany, which could imply that his connection with his nephew is what led him to realize that he doesn’t want to have a child with Marie. It seems that Anthony may have recognized (at least subconsciously) that this sort of effortless, authentic dynamic is what he wants in a family—as opposed to the forced, closed-off, controlling dynamic he has with Marie and his mother. The powdered sugar that Marie is heaping onto the pies can be read as a symbol of the more figurative sweetness and faux politeness that Marie and Anthony’s mother tend to express in lieu of their true feelings. The static on the walkie-talkie returns just after Anthony notices this, which suggests that Marie’s tendency to figuratively sugarcoat things and sweep problems under the rug plays a role in deafening Anthony to his own desires.

Simple gestures like playing video games with his niece and nephew, or offering a TV to Margaret and Ian, are meaningful to Anthony. In this way, he seems to want a family that simply enjoys supporting and spending quality time with one another—a stark contrast to the dynamic that readers have seen play out in the story. But again, Anthony has felt so stifled for so long that he is unable to express what he wants.

The succulents require “zero care”—they, just like the rocks in Anthony and Marie’s garden, represent Anthony and Marie’s neglected relationship. The succulents are seemingly unflappable and can’t be hurt by “neglect and drought,” which is similar to how unfeeling Marie is on the surface—even in the face of major struggles like infertility. Moreover, the plants, like Anthony and Marie’s relationship, have stagnated in their growth. Anthony pricks his finger with the succulent to draw blood “as if he needs proof that such things are real.” In other words, he wants to remind himself that he’s alive, since he feels so stifled in his marriage and in his family that he’s become numb. And while Anthony realizes that he feels this way and that he doesn’t want to have a child with Marie, his instinct is to “blame the static” for his strange behavior, which implies that he’s still keeping his feelings hidden and acting as the peacekeeper in his family. The story ends on ambiguous note, then: it’s unclear whether Anthony’s epiphany will stick and encourage him to pursue creating a family that makes him genuinely happy, or if he’ll continue to repress his emotions and remain dissatisfied.