The protagonist's inner circle of friends make certain they show their support by visiting the hospital and bringing gifts whenever possible. They also speak upon their opinions of their dear friend as it relates to the immunodeficiency virus without ever mentioning the main character's name or the name of the disease. In connection with empathy, respect and distance, the emotions of the protagonist's friends, who are living without the illness, are evident throughout the text — this is not true for the patient; his inner emotions are overshadowed by that of his comrades. The absence of the main character's voice alludes to the lack of empathy and in turn, the loss of respect towards this individual on behalf of his close friends. Also, there is an emotional distance between the two parties as each individual in the friend group is competing against each other for the patient's approval rather than being genuinely concerned for his well-being; omission of the ill-person's voice creates an emotional distance between the reader and the main character as
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