The statement that describes how Nola is behaving towards her mother is <em>C. Nola is not talking ...</em>
Going shopping to the city's mall is the only reasonable time spent together as mother and daughter. This activity takes place during Nola's vacations from school.
But this time becomes frustrating for Mrs. Dietrich because it is not really spent as a family. A mother-daughter relationship that should be filled with interesting conversations is bereft of shared stories. All because Nola chooses not to talk with her mother. Throughout the shopping trip, she remained moody.
For Mrs. Dietrich, her daughter's behavior devastates her spirit. She is dying for love. This is the irony of their relationship. Since blood remains thicker than water, their love is an indestructible force.
Thus, Joyce Carol Oates in "Shopping" dramatically shows what the relationship between a mother and her daughter should not be.
One such situation in which compulsion might be implicit is if someone is in need or rescuing, since although they could be "forced" to be rescued, it can be assumed that they would want to be rescued anyway.
