In Anne Tyler's narrative, the unraveling of the familial bond between a teenage boy named Donny and his parents forms the core of the story. The title, inspired by "Baba O'Riley," a classic song from The Who during the early 1970s, hints at this theme subtly yet powerfully. "Teenage Wasteland" serves as a metaphor for the environment where Donny’s parents find him, a place that starkly contrasts with their perception of normalcy. As they arrive to pick him up from his tutor Cal's house, they are struck by the scene: students are idly throwing basketballs, and loud music resonates through open windows. Donny appears animated, almost unrecognizable to his parents, who see him as a stranger among the supposed juvenile delinquents.

When Daisy, Donny's mother, mutters "Teenage Wasteland," acknowledging the song, her husband Matt misinterprets it, affirming, "It certainly is." This brief exchange underscores the chasm between the parents and the youths in Cal's domain. As Donny increasingly distances himself from his family, communication dwindles to near silence. His expulsion from school becomes a pivotal moment, marking a profound shift in his allegiance. Instead of seeking comfort and refuge at home, Donny instinctively chooses Cal's house, symbolizing his preference for the guidance he finds there over his parents’ attempts at understanding.

The narrative highlights the parents' struggle to comprehend their son's changing world and their failure to bridge the widening gap. Their inability to understand the nuances of his experiences and emotions is mirrored in their interactions, laden with misinterpretations and misconnections. This poignant depiction of a family's disintegration raises questions about generational divides and the challenges of parental guidance in the face of adolescent rebellion.

Tyler concludes the narrative with a scene rich in subtlety and emotion. As Daisy lies in bed, unable to sleep, she questions the events that have unfolded, her thoughts lingering on a vivid image of Cal’s yard. There, a neighbor’s fence projects narrow shadow bars across the fresh spring grass. As Daisy drifts into sleep, she revisits this scene, where the stripes of sunlight appear "as white as bones, bleached and parched and cleanly picked." This image is haunting and evocative, deliberately left unexplained by Tyler, allowing readers to infer their own meanings. It stands as a poignant representation of Daisy’s feelings of defeat and despair, wrapped in a powerful, unspoken symbolism.