Why does Catherine feel the urge to laugh at her husband's discomfort when her mother apologizes to him for "anything [she] might have said in haste"? Why does she hold back her laughter?

What aspects of the relationship between Catherine and her mother are "normal"? What aspects are "abnormal"?

What elements of the couple's marriage are considered "normal"? What elements are considered "abnormal"?

What does the phrase "no one would know on what black roots man's freedom was nourished" signify?

Why doesn't Tony chase after Catherine to stop her from giving their son a "prison of love"?
In what ways does "Family Ties" exemplify existential literature?