Edith Fellowes is our point-of-view character, and the story is much more about her than it is about Timmie. Asimov seems to be interested in exploring how an outsider would react to the facts of a great scientific advance; Edith Fellowes is smart, knowledgeable, and well versed in the scientific method, making her well equipped to understand the implications of the events of the story and the hazards of her own actions. This all makes the ending of the story particularly effective because she is not a romantic fool, but a person with an analytical mind who understands the risks she takes.

That she has an analytical mind is evident early on as she makes careful, pointed observations of those around her, most notably Dr. Hoskins, whose looks she quickly assesses. She can tell that he puts on a show of friendliness but is...