Ezra is always the weak one in his mother's eyes in Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. Ezra is the youngest and the one who needed his mother's protection. Unfortunately, in this work by Anne Tyler, Pearl never releases this parental grip. This behavior stem's from Pearl's need to be wanted and loved by someone while always being needed in the world. This causes two main problems for Ezra, he had a need to show his mother that he is finally mature enough not to need her as a guardian while, concurrently, having a deep seeded resentment of her.
             Pearl sees Ezra as her little baby, and always rushes to his aid, warranted or not. Monopoly was a game of choice in the Tull household, and Pearl believed that Cody cheated constantly at it. He may or may not have cheated, that is not the issue. Pearl always "rescues" Ezra from his unfair brother, and corrects Cody. The cheating is a harmless behavior for Cody and Ezra stands a valuable lesson of awareness and independence. However, he is never allowed to experience this, which is clearly detrimental to Ezra's development.
             Ezra does many things to indirectly convince his mother to let go of him. Ezra takes a job to equally connivence himself and his mother that he can make something of himself. He starts as a salad chef, quietly cutting vegetables all day. He quickly advances through the kitchen and is somewhat adopted by the owner. Ezra, consciously or unconsciously, uses his connection to the owner to show his mother that, if nothing else, he has someone else to care for him and Pearl may let go. This never truly gets through to Pearl.
             Ezra has a covert resentment to his mother. Ezra tentatively befriends a probable mildly retorted boy. As he becomes aware of Pearls feelings about his choice, only makes his friendship closer. Pearl will not tolerate this behavior of association from the other children. She shows this when Ezra's sister starts ...