Kya’s lack of a formal education puts her at a disadvantage in this scene, as she finds herself unable to read her mother’s letter. Considering that she has been waiting for more than a year to know why Ma left, this moment must frustrate her enormously, especially since Pa burns the letter in a fit of rage. If only Kya could have read it herself, she could have kept it from her father and thereby preserved the peace that had crept into their daily lives. Now, though, Pa has flown off the rails once again, and Kya is no closer to understanding why Ma left.