But because we receive everything secondhand, there is a disconnect between what we see as observers and what Julian actually feels and experiences. For example, towards the end of the story, Julian's mother is dying before his eyes, and he has had to struggle with “her entry into the world of guilt and pain” (p. 1016). Because of the way Julian has been portrayed to the public – tough, cynical, independent – ​​it is more difficult to understand his pain or empathically relate to his situation. However, if Julian had been described in another way, or if readers had been able to hear his thoughts firsthand, the perspective and understanding of his situation would change and it would be easier for the audience to feel