The significance of Paul's hat
He wears his hat most of the time, even in the bath (but not in bed). Is this a reference to Ulysses who is usually depicted wearing a helmet? The Classical undercurrent at its various levels had me confused......
And yet Paul adores her......
Then there is the business of the revolver that she unloads. Paul is thus deprived of his weapon of revenge. The suitors of old were slain, but in the modern version Ulysses is impotent with the consequence that the suitor makes off with the girl and they are BOTH accidentally killed. Oh bugger!