Family dysfunction
The family is trapped in the Starving Class because the parents have a toxic and destructive relationship. Wesley shows the effect of their dysfunction in his behaviors. He eats like they are going to run out of food soon, because they often do run out of food, often without money to get more. This leads to scarcity mentality and competition between the siblings. The relationship is explored in Act II, and the portraiture of the novel is primarily demonstrating the various aspects of their dysfunction.
Closet addiction
Very quickly we learn that Weston is a drug addict. The chances are pretty good that Ella is also addicted, which would explain their bitter and tumultuous relationship. As co-users, their relationship is manic and jubilant when they have lots of drugs, but when they run out, they become possessive and cruel toward one another. This is the scarcity mentality among the parents. Their scarcity is for love and support, but also money and drugs. The main imagery for this is in Weston's story, because he takes the family's money and goes on a bender without his wife, leaving her without any way to cope. Then he becomes manic and tries to pull himself together, but it is a last ditch effort—secretly, he is extremely paranoid that his drug debts are about to catch up with him.
Mental turmoil
Each parent provides a behavioral demonstration of their mental health. This is imagery which depicts their turmoil. The bitterness and hatred that consumes Ella is not unwarranted; her husband is a traitor and a narcissistic with manipulative and dishonest tendencies. He betrays them constantly, but Ella knows why. Secretly, he is buried in unimaginable turmoil, having addicted himself to chemicals that make it impossible for him to earn money and spend it responsibly—let alone parent two children.
Trauma and panic
Occasionally, the long days of slow turmoil are interrupted by chaos and catastrophe. This is shown in a few different ways. Weston is gone (probably on a bender) for the first act, so when he arrives, the novel clearly depicts through imagery that his arrival is disruptive—he was not missed, exactly. His presence makes traumatic events loom ominously in the background. In fact, the climax of the novel is a full-blown depiction of his self-destructive ways manifesting themselves.
