The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

Throughout the novel’s interwoven conflicts, Bannen implicitly argues that loneliness is particularly painful and damaging because humans need emotional connection and meaningful relationships in order to be happy in life. However, the author also suggests that true and lasting connections can only be forged by embracing openness and vulnerability and risking potential pain, loss, and rejection. As Hart reveals in his letters, he is tormented by loneliness, which stems from several interrelated fears. He fears the implications of the possibility that he is immortal, and the thought of outliving all of his loved ones has compelled him to keep the entire world at a distance. Thus, his real fear stems from his unwillingness to experience the loss and pain associated with forming meaningful connections, and he has never managed to process his grief over losing his mother, his mentor (Bill), and his dog (Gracie).

Moreover, in the specific context of his relationship with Mercy, Hart is afraid to reveal his true self and underlying faults because he fears that she will reject him outright, leaving him alone and in emotional pain once again. In his stubborn refusal to assume the full risks of vulnerability, he keeps secrets that endanger the connections that he has managed to make, laboring under the misguided belief that Mercy deserves someone better than him.