In the first few paragraphs, the narrator describes the physical appearance of his father as an introduction to him, and the explanation makes him seem like he's going to be dangerous in the story. "My father was a formidable-looking man with a large stony jaw and furious black eyebrows. I think now in retrospect that he much resembled Chou En-Lai, although he would not have cherished such a comparison, being particularly proud of the pure samurai blood that ran in the family. His general presence was not one which encourage relaxed conversation." (857) This is odd because you think it serves as a warning, as if before he walks in the door he dreads his father's presence, but his father turns out to be reasonably understandable with everything he says. It indicates that his father had changed due to recent events.