Character Analysis
Kenneth is Norma's doom, the boy she passes over Bobby Crow to marry for reasons that aren't entirely clear. He's a religious nut, for starters. He's also incredibly judgmental.
Kenneth could take any comment and find something in it to deplore. (17.24)
Naturally, the whole family hates him: maybe the only thing they really stand united on. Wolff seems to suggest that wishful thinking and habitual lies lead to bad decisions, since Norma marries him anyway even though "we could all see that Norma didn't love Kenneth." (17.31) It ruins Norma's life, but a lifetime of constant judgment will do that to anyone.