following lines show this clearly The peculiar burden of existence lay upon him That must be what a man was for This quote reflects Tommy s view of his life as a constant struggle His identity is tied to his roles as a father husband and son but he fails in these roles Search for Help Tommy desperately seeks help throughout the story turning to his father and Dr Tamkin However both fail him in significant ways His father rejects him with cruel words You make yourself my cross I'll see you dead before I let you do that to me Dr Tamkin also deceives him making false promises of financial success In the absence of real support Tommy becomes increasingly desperate leading him to act impulsively Illusions of Freedom Tommy briefly finds a sense of freedom in the illusion of financial success Dr Tamkin promises a lucrative investment that could resolve his financial troubles Tamkin tries to encourage Tommy in this way Only the present is real the here-and-now Seize the day However this temporary freedom proves to be a false hope as Tommy loses all his savings The illusion of control and freedom slips away and he faces the harsh reality of his losses Emotional Release and Suffering The final climax of the novel occurs in the funeral parlor where Tommy finally breaks down emotionally He sank deeper than sorrow toward the consummation of his heart's ultimate need This quote describes Tommy s emotional release where he allows himself to cry freely for the first time He weeps not only for the stranger in the coffin but for himself and his own failures His tears signify a release from the emotional burden he has carried for so long Ambiguous Consolation Despite this emotional release it is unclear if Tommy finds true consolation or salvation The funeral scene while providing a release of emotion does not offer any concrete resolution to his life s problems Tommy s angry outburst at his wife reveals the pressure he faces from external sources Though he finds temporary relief in his tears his situation remains unchanged The final moments of the novel suggest that while Tommy may have found a brief escape from his emotional burdens he has not truly found peace or salvation In summary Tommy Wilhelm experiences a temporary freedom through emotional release But it is unclear whether it leads to lasting salvation His struggles with failure rejection and deceit continue to haunt him even as he experiences a moment of catharsis Ultimately Tommy s freedom remains ambiguous and the novel concludes without offering a clear consolation