While Henry struggles to come to terms with the reality of his health setback and accept the love his family offers him, Clare turns to her art to process the situation. In the novel, the color red represents the struggles of life, particularly those that inspire conflict and add tension to Henry and Clare’s relationship. Wings, meanwhile, represent freedom from those struggles. Clare’s art thus represents her desire to transcend the pain and suffering that Henry is presently experiencing—and which she, as his loving partner, experiences secondhand.