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The middle child of the Queller family, Andrew is a deeply troubled young man who struggles to live up to the high expectations of his father, Martin. The pressures he faces push Andrew towards self-destructive behavior, including drug-use and suicide attempts. His issues with mental health and addiction are further compounded by the homophobia he faces as a closeted gay man in a deeply prejudiced society. Through the character of Andrew, then, the novel explores the harmful and destructive effects of prejudice, both in society at large but also within families. Jane feels that her parents paid little attention to her during her childhood because they were so busy supervising Andrew, and she resents the fact that her accomplishments were so often overshadowed by Andrew’s issues. Nevertheless, she deeply loves her brother, who is also in many ways a victim of Nick’s manipulations, and she stays with him in a hospital emergency room as he dies of AIDS. Through the storyline of Andrew’s addiction and illness, the novel connects to broader social issues, such as drug abuse and the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s.
