Franklin is the portrait of the misunderstood artist. He is the artist who sacrifices his own health because of the importance of his art and his purpose. He is a stock character in this regard, but he gains depth through the fertility of his imagination and his recognized duty to his wife and child, which causes him a measure of remorse. He is a sympathetic character, patient and understanding with the villainized boss, and even understanding of Cora, who is the antithesis of his imaginative creation. Cora, on the other hand, represents the stifling nature of close-minded people who refuse to recognize the validity of "lower" forms of art—such as cartoons, television, and advertisements—as worthy areas of concentration and study. Her eventual move to be with Rex is expected as throughout the story she seems to be solely discouraging of Franklin's pursuits. She is...