Keawe is the protagonist of “The Bottle Imp.” His character development and struggle for happiness form the major arc of the story. Stevenson does not describe him physically, but he is young and strong from his work as a sailor. He is also described as clever and brave, though he is limited in life by his poverty. Throughout the story, the reader follows Keawe as he gains wealth and finds his fortune. He also undergoes a moral transformation, beginning the story as somewhat naive and ending it as someone who has endured suffering and is willing to make great sacrifices for love.

While Keawe is always portrayed as someone with good intentions, his naivete is obvious at the beginning of the story. He falls for the old man’s trick and purchases the bottle and, in wishing for a beautiful house, inadvertently causes the death of his uncle and cousin. Taking the advice of a friend, he decides to enjoy the house: “I may as well take the good along with the evil” (Paragraph 65). He continues with this refrain after using the bottle to cure his leprosy so he can marry Kokua.