Kalanithi uses rhetorical questions in his memoir at times that he became reflective; deeply questioning the reader. Referring to the statistics that doctors often use for rates such as; survival rates, remission rates, etc. He asks, “Weren’t the numbers just the numbers?” (134). The reader can then question the survival or remission rates that doctors used during their diagnosis. The questions just like these are used to give the reader comfort as well as let them question how their situation may be totally different than the next person. At another point after his diagnosis, he began biking as he previously did. He could only ride 6 miles compared to the 30 miles he could ride previously. He asked, “Was this a victory or defeat?” (141).