Through this romantic lifestyle, Cole will face many infractions that are linked to Greek tragedies. According to Rees of English Literature Notes and Guides, Greek tragedies are generally known for the petty insignificance of men in the face of a strong power that controls and above all destroys human life. For Cole, the divine power he faces is nothing more than the power of corrupt law in a foreign country he knows next to nothing about and what a foreign society entails. John discovers that his preconceived notions about men and human society are false, and he discovers that they do not live in a romantic world like he supposed they did. Until John finally realized that he was susceptible to getting hurt because he was not yet ready for the real world, but only ready for what he had a preconceived thought about.