Analyze the idea of agency and fate in the novel. How do the different characters conceive of their agency or lack thereof? Is fate depicted as a real force, or a false construct?

The narrator is often caught between objective and subjective versions of reality. What role does each version of reality play in the novella? Can the two ever be reconciled? Why or why not?

How are gender dynamics and roles depicted in the novella? How do ideals of masculinity and femininity influence the characters?