How did the thinking skills of comparing and contrasting, inferring and uncovering motives influence the readers understanding of the play?

That is really how much of the play is driven. I think you always have to be prepared to read between the lines, so to speak, in this play. Much of the character development relies on the reader's skill interpreting emotions, gestures, and motives of the characters. One example of this is when mother finally wants to get rid of Larry's apple tree by saying there will be , “ more light with that thing gone “. She is finally accepting that Larry won't be coming home.