Empathy

Empathy is defined as the capacity to recognize feelings that are being experienced by another. In the case of Brewster Rawlins, he not only has the ability to recognize other's feelings, but he can steal their injuries and bad emotions and make them his own. Brewster can only do this with people he cares about, so he has tried all his life not to care too much for other people. Brewster's uncle is aware of his ability and he takes advantage of it, keeping Brewster near so that he is always there to take away his uncle's pains.

When Brewster meets Bronte, he begins to expand his social circles, growing closer to a multiple number of people. This causes Brewster to take on a great many injuries and hurt feelings, suffering silently. In the end, the burden of all these bad feelings and injuries leaves Brewster in constant...