Helen and Martha represent a lot of women in the 1950's and before who had to fight for education, for jobs, for respect, and for the right to define family on their own terms. For these sisters, in order to leave, they have to say goodbye to people they love and extricate themselves from a profoundly difficult home life. But even that's not simple and the decisions aren't going to be easy. In the meantime, there's a motel to clean and a car that needs fixing. And the sun is getting higher in the sky. They've got far to go.
