How did World War II change Tom as a character? Why does he feel that his memories of the war have no place in the world he now inhabits?

How does Ralph Hopkins embody the American ideals of hard work and material success? What does his life suggest about the validity of those ideals?

How does the novel function as a critique of the suburban landscape that was rapidly expanding in 1950s America? What elements of suburban life contribute to Tom and Betsy’s unhappiness? Do these critiques still apply to suburbia today?