In the excerpt from Joyce Carol Oates' "First Love: A Gothic Tale," the author raises profound questions about the concepts of sickness and wellness. It suggests that the definitions of health are not absolute, and challenges the notion of what it means to be "well." The text provokes introspection about our own conditions and how society defines health.

By questioning who is truly 'sick' and who can claim to be 'well,' Oates invites readers to reflect on the complexity of human experience. This ambiguity highlights that everyone potentially carries their own struggles and vulnerabilities, leading to a shared understanding of what it means to be human in an imperfect world.