At first, the boss appears to be a hard man, however, when he remembers his late son, he “[arranges] himself to cry” (Mansfield 25). This passage suggests that the boss has too much control over his emotions. To show any emotion, the leader has to isolate himself and when he does he still can't cry. This control may be influenced by society, because in that period men did not cry. As a result of this belief, the leader prevents himself from expressing any emotion, which in turn prevents him from dealing with his pain, let alone understanding it. Furthermore, to understand pain, it is essential to first let go of control. Considering that the boss was unable to do so, he reveals that his mental state may be repressed. Furthermore, Mansfield suggests that the death “may have occurred yesterday” (29). Here it is clear that the boss was unable to recover. His son's death is still fresh in his mind and he hasn't been able to clear his thoughts. In an attempt to live up to society's opinions, the boss tires of pushing aside his pain, but the pain always returns. He doesn't realize that he must submit to his pain instead of fighting it. The fact that six years have passed without progress indicates a lack of understanding towards him