Not a smidgin of manners. No conscience.’’ She also mimics the speech of uneducated African Americans like Hoke: ‘‘'Nome,' he'll say.’’ Daisy's accusations, which indict all African Americans, backfire when Hoke brings her a new can of salmon. She can no longer hold his actions against an entire race. Throughout the course of the play, however, Daisy begins to lose her prejudices. She even argues with Boolie about their presence at a banquet honoring civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.

Despite this change, she still does not see the prejudiced world around her clearly, and does not understand that some white Southerners dislike Jews as much as they dislike African Americans. When the temple is bombed, she is certain it must be a mistake—‘‘I'm sure they meant to bomb one of the conservative synagogues or the orthodox one. The temple is reform''—or that Hoke misheard the police officer. Hoke, however, understands better than Daisy. ‘‘It doan' matter to them people,’’ he says. ‘‘A Jew is a Jew to them folks. Jes' like light or dark we all the same nigger.’’ Daisy refuses to believe this, for even though she makes great strides in combating her prejudice, she still feels superior to Hoke, for many reasons: she is wealthier, she is his employer, and she is white. Because of this innate feeling, she does not invite Hoke to attend the King banquet with her until virtually the last minute. Hoke pridefully refuses, knowing that it is only because she takes him for granted that she did not speak with him about it sooner.

Friendship The relationship between Daisy and Hoke is at the heart of this play. When Daisy first meets Hoke, she dislikes him, both because he is African American and because she resents his presence in her home. Over the years, she comes to grow fond of Hoke, though her gruff speech would not indicate this. Both Hoke and Daisy, however, understand the feelings that they share. On the day of the ice storm, Hoke drives to her home despite the slick roads. He wants to be there for Daisy, whom he knows will be alone. Although Daisy is "[T]ouched’' and calls his actions "sweet,'' she still reproves him for tracking dirt into her kitchen. Hoke says, "Now Miz Daisy, what you think I am? A mess?’’ Though Daisy responds in the affirmative, the stage directions note, ‘‘This is an old routine between them and not without affection.’’ It is not until Daisy is much older—and getting occasionally confused—that she puts her feelings into words. ‘‘You're my best friend,’’ she tells Hoke, and she takes hold of his hand. It seems likely that she wants to express her feelings for Hoke while she is still able to do so.

Growing Old An important theme in the play is growing old. The play spans twenty-five years. By its end, Daisy is ninety-seven, Hoke is eighty-five, and Boolie is sixty-five. The characters all experience changes over the years. Daisy becomes more liberal, while Boolie becomes more conservative. Daisy and Hoke also become good friends. The two share the knowledge of the difficulties of aging. When Daisy grows confused, thinking that she is still a teacher, she says to Hoke, ‘‘I'm being trouble. Oh God, I don't want to be trouble to anybody.’’ She realizes that her aging is making her more difficult, and she is afraid that she will become a burden. Hoke points out that she at least has the benefit of aging in comfort. "You want something to cry about, I take you to the state home, show you what layin' out dere in de halls.’’

Eventually, Boolie puts Daisy in a nursing home. The stage directions note that "[S]he seems fragile and diminished, but still vital.'' Her aging has not made her unwilling to speak her mind. "Go charm the nurses,’’ she tells Boolie when she wants him to leave. Though she is unable to feed herself very well, she still has her mind.

For his part, Hoke has changed too. He can no longer drive and, instead, must rely on his granddaughter to chauffeur him around. Through Hoke's inability to drive, the play also demonstrates that as people get older, they lose their independence, in a sense, becoming more like children again. Hoke is unable to visit Daisy often because the bus doesn't go to the nursing home. Hoke admits that ‘‘It hard [to visit Daisy], not drivin'.’’ At this point in their lives, people like Daisy and Hoke must rely on others for almost everything—even for the maintenance of cherished friendships.