In Jodi Picoult's "Between the Lines," the character Delilah grapples with the notion of reality and fiction. Her whisper, "You can't be real," underscores her struggle to accept the boundary between the imaginary world within books and the world she inhabits. This highlights the emotional connection readers form with stories and characters, prompting questions about existence and authenticity.

When the narrator challenges Delilah's perception with, "Did you really think that a story exists only when you're reading it?" it suggests that narratives continue to live and influence beyond the page. This exchange illustrates the idea that stories hold a power that transcends their written form, inviting readers to contemplate the life of a story in their minds and hearts, even after closing the book.