While writing the romance between Jake Ryder and Jenny Samson, I attempted to "get into the minds" of artists and added an esoteric slant to this story—nothing overwhelming, but just enough to create characters driven by forces beyond their understanding.
Without giving anything away, I can reveal that Ryder (he goes by his last name) is tormented by emotional and physical loss. The loss of his painting arm was his final devastation and he lives a lonely existence. For Jenny, it is Ryder's rejection of her that triggers her own emotional upheaval.
While Ryder and Jenny have much in common, it is their pride and self-preservation that drive them apart. Happily, they eventually discover the error of their ways and the perfect balance they have in each other.