A Happier Tomorrow Today Will Be a Quiet DayIn the story "Today Will Be a Quiet Day" written by Amy Hempel, one may be inclined to believe that there is a tone of depression or sadness in the father and both children. This is shown in the opening sentence, as the three are stuck in traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge. The boy says, “I think if the earthquake happened now, the bridge would collapse and the railings would remain” (Hempel 1202). We also learn that the boy had a best friend who committed suicide about a year before. Finally, the fact that a mother is not mentioned leaves the reader with the suspicion that the parents might be divorced, separated, or, even worse, that the mother might be deceased. Although these incidents probably give the reader the impression that disaster is about to occur, there is also ample evidence that the family is moving on in their lives and that happier times are yet to come. First, the father decides to take the day off and spend time with his children. He lets his son and daughter skip their music lessons and they all go on a trip...