In the novel In Custody, Deven is initially surprised and disappointed upon meeting Nur, the poet who he has so-long admired. Nur lives in fairly run-down conditions and is in overall poor physical and mental health. Deven is initially a bit repulsed by this upon meeting the poet but then becomes resolved to attempt to improve Nur's living condition and to memorialize his work through audio recording Nur's poems and interviewing him. Deven realizes that social fame, especially in relation to poets, does not mean that the poet will experience an improvement to material living conditions or wealth. Deven must look beyond the material conditions and appreciate the artistic contributions of Nur, whether or not those contributions led to material wealth for the poet.