Understanding John Steinbeck's, "Flight"

In John Steinbeck's, "Flight", we are introduced to a young man, Pepe.  He wants so much to be respected by his mother.  Pepe knows that since he is the oldest and his father has been dead for many years; he must now be the man of the house.  His mother doesn't acknowledge this entitlement to Pepe, instead, she acusses him of being too lazy.  Mama Torres realizes that Pepe is too inmature because of his foolishnes with his father's knife; always playing with it and throwing it into posts.  Pepe mistakenly thinks that he is given a manly task to go and buy medicine and salt in the next town.  He professes that he is now a man as he begins his journey only to have his mother insult him for the last time.  When Pepe finally returns home, he confesses to his mother that he has probably killed a man with his knife.  He disrespected Pepe by calling him names as his mother regularly did.  Mama Torres huridly packs Pepe up to escape into the night.  As Pepe watches his mother pack, he now thinks of himself as a man.  He has to hear it from his mother, though.  She finally acknowledges his new title only because she knows he wouldn't leave until she reconfirms it.  Once on his journey, his mother cries in grief; knowing she has lost her son.  As Pepe begins his long journey through the mountains, Steinbeck beautifully describes the treachorous landscapes which Pepe must navigate.  It is a lonely, desperate journey that Pepe ultimately loses to the gunmen who follow mysteriously behind.