The In-Law Rejection

This flow follows Bunny’s attempt to secure family support from Mrs Pennington and the grief and anger that make reconciliation impossible.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Church’s Hostility

The Church’s Hostility A congregation divided Bunny attends Libby’s service with Bunny Junior and senses the congregation’s judgment. Mrs Pennington’s grief is visible, but Bunny remains preoccupied with his own perceptions and appetites. Blame without an answer The funeral makes Libby’s death a family and community event. Bunny cannot control how others see him, and the silence around his conduct begins to take a public form.

The Request at the Grave

The Request at the Grave A father admits his limits Bunny asks Mrs Pennington to look after Bunny Junior for a while. He says he is not capable of managing the boy and does not know how to do it. Help denied Mrs Pennington says that she sees Bunny in her grandson and cannot accept the request. Her answer leaves the boy with the father she despises.

The Accusation

The Accusation A mother’s account Mrs Pennington says Bunny repeatedly hurt Libby through infidelity and cruelty. She describes her daughter as a once-happy girl whose distress she witnessed directly. A defensive retreat Bunny insults the grieving couple instead of accepting the accusation. His anger protects him from shame in the moment while deepening the estrangement.

The Grandmother’s Wave

The Grandmother’s Wave A child offers tenderness Bunny Junior waves to Mrs Pennington even after her rejection of Bunny. His gesture suggests that he still wants connection with his maternal family. A relationship left open Bunny tells him not to waste his time. The adults’ conflict threatens to close off a bond the boy might otherwise have had with his grandmother.

No Easy Replacement

No Easy Replacement The road continues Bunny and Bunny Junior drive away without securing help from Mrs Pennington. Bunny turns back to the radio and the sales route rather than considering another stable arrangement. Kinship strained by grief The rejection does not resolve the boy’s need for family or Bunny’s inability to parent. Their departure makes the father-son bond more necessary and more precarious.

During Libby’s funeral service

Immediately after the burial

During the argument at the cemetery

As Bunny leaves the cemetery

During the later drive along the coast