As Dr. Jordan’s preoccupation with keeping up appearances grows increasingly intense, he also struggles more and more to maintain an objective perspective. The main source of his distraction comes in the form of sexual fantasies. These fantasies come into Dr. Jordan’s mind suddenly and with no effort on his part, interrupting his concentration and causing a shift from the analytical capacities of his mind to the desires of his body. Dr. Jordan’s fantasies subvert his concentration even more forcefully once he begins to daydream about his landlady, Mrs. Humphrey, who becomes the subject of surprisingly violent sexual visions. With these fantasies infiltrating his everyday life with greater frequency, Dr. Jordan feels his ability to focus diminish, and he strains to hold the many pieces of Grace’s story together in his mind. The longer he stays in Kingston, the less capable he feels of maintaining the scientific objectivity on which he prides himself.