The narrator is defined throughout the story by his fearful, avoidant behavior. He attributes the fact that he is a bachelor in his forties who still lives with his sister to external factors that seem out of his control, but in reality, his inaction is a choice. He uses his responsibilities to the house and the death of Maria Esther as an excuse for the stagnation in his personal life. Even when it comes to Irene, he is avoidant and refuses to confront her about the chest of unused knitted items he discovers. 

When he first hears the intruders, the narrator’s first instinct is fear and avoidance as he slams and locks the large oak door instead of confronting them. That he calmly accepts the loss of his beloved French literature books and pipe illustrates his preference for avoiding conflict of any kind, no matter the personal detriment. The narrator’s internal struggle with the issues he refuses to face is evident in his restless sleep. At one point, the narrator confesses that the monotony of his life has caused him to cease thinking, but he once again presents this development as inevitable rather than absurd. Every time the narrator is given the choice to take action, he chooses passivity. The climax of the story cements the consequences of his inaction, as the narrator flees the house leaving all his belongings behind having never confronted the intruders at all.