Paul's Illness and Death

Paul's death becomes a life-changing event for Linda, as it is pinpointed in the novel as the primary impetus for Linda's inability to properly, or fully, connect with others. Linda second guesses herself for the rest of her life, wondering if she could or should have done more to try and save Paul's life. She ultimately convinces herself that she does not deserve to be happy.

From the first time she met Paul, Linda noted that he was often breathless and his skin was sometimes discolored. She soon put it down to an inherent part of his life, and did not realize until later that there was something seriously wrong with him. Patra, however, had known for awhile that there was something wrong with Paul. At one point, she took him to a pediatrician who was a friend of Patra's mother, but she...