Ahhh good morning!! I ate pasta last night :)
Secondary characters are like supporting characters. They are not main characters, but they are not minuscule. They are often things like the best friend of the main character who helps them with a decision.<span />
It demonstrates that Nora is considering leaving her children.
The text states: Nora: Do you think they would forget their mother if she went away altogether? This implies that Nora is thinking about a scenario where she leaves her children behind. Hope I helped!
I think because he has very little energy remaining and has been out in the cold for too long.