Loneliness and Connection

Many characters experience profound loneliness in big cities or isolated villages, and the narrative emphasizes how friendships and romances form quickly as a compensation, providing solace and purpose in an otherwise indifferent world.

Rutherford feels utterly alone in the heart of the city, but the sounds of footsteps and voices—especially the name 'Peggy'—connect him to the outer world.

Rutherford's solitary writing life is interrupted by Peggy's visits, highlighting his need for human connection and the fleeting intimacy of their conversations.

Rutherford and Peggy form a deep emotional bond, but her jealousy and his attachment to Alice create a rift, leaving both isolated.

Rutherford's loneliness without Peggy is palpable; their reunion brings a brief but intense connection, only to be disrupted by a letter.