Love and society
There is an interesting dilemma in the story because Zahra is not allowed to be with Alan according to the opinions of her friends and family, and they dance around their attraction. She blames the chemistry on him, and he pretends it doesn't exist, but then through the plot, they end up together. Their mutual denial is proof that they are embedded in a network of people, and that they are trying to get something from their time—something that their love threatens. This paints love and society as opposing forces, as if falling in love is counter-cultural.
Death and sickness
Alan is pretty sick, but he doesn't know it until they find a lump. That single lump says so much about the theme of the novel, because he thought his journey was about getting what he wanted. In reality, the journey is survival. This single lump changes the thematic tone of the novel because he realizes that just by being alive, he already has what he wants, and now he has to fight for his life, and he depends on others.
Economy and power
There is a strong suggestion to read the novel in light of power dynamics, as in, "Who gets to do what they want?" Notice that Alan is constantly confronted with the limitations of his will power. He doesn't get to do whatever he wants, and even when he finds the one thing that would make him happy, he can't have it. The way economy works in the novel seems to suggest that money is the unseen solution to his problems, but in the end, he loses the deal and gets the deal. He decides to make a living in real estate, which is promising, but more importantly, it is an industry where he doesn't have a boss.
