Arthur is a successful actor who dies of a heart attack on stage the night of the Georgia Flu outbreak.
During the production he was somewhat of a mentor to Kirsten, who witnesses his death.
Early days struggling in Toronto with his friend Clark Thompson, and his rise to fame and celebrity in Hollywood, where Arthur marries and divorces three times.
His first wife is Miranda Carroll, who is from the same small island as Arthur.
His second wife is Elizabeth Colton, is the mother of Arthur’s child Tyler.
His third wife is named Lydia Marks.
In the weeks before his death he decides to move to Israel and discard his old life in order to be closer with his son, the only thing he truly values. His death is made all the more tragic by this realization, as he is unable to follow through on his plans to live a better life and be a better father to his son.
Arthur is connected to almost every character in the novel, yet lacks genuine emotional connection with any of them
He can be pitied for realising too late that he was oblivious to the love and joy around him
Mandel presents Arthur as uncertain about his place in the world and “deeply unhappy” (p211)
His restlessness is shown through his relationships with places: loved Delano Island but “always wanted to escape” (p74) ; 'he loves Los Angeles and how simultaneously the place exhausts him.” (p78). This constant unease reflects his mental state and “a permanent state of disorientation” (p77).
Arthur’s lack of purpose contrasts with other characters:
Jeevan finds meaning in becoming a paramedic
Miranda successfully seeks purpose and fulfilment through her work
Although Arthur appears to have wealth, fame, and relationships, he never achieves true happiness
He finds no value in symbolic objects of connection:
discards the paperweight from an old friend
passes on the *Dr Eleven* comics, representative of his marriage to Miranda
His plan to move to Israel to be with Tyler may represent a hopeful attempt to correct his emotional failures, or another repeated, unsuccessful search for fulfilment
Arthur engages in many relationships, but few are shown as positive or meaningful: Miranda (p211) and Clark (p112) recognise that Arthur is “performing” rather than being authentic
Ironically, Arthur’s most genuine expressions appear in the private “Dear V” letters
Despite his flaws, Arthur is remembered fondly by Clark; 'He was so kind, that’s what I remember most clearly. Kind to everyone he met. This humility about him.' (p222)