The protagonist in “The Glass of Milk” struggles with his values in the face of unalterable circumstances. The central conflict—that the young man has not eaten in three days—is established in the first paragraphs. Exposition about the young man’s history working on boats adds context and relates this story to the picaresque genre, in which a lower-class protagonist in a corrupt society has adventures and gets by on his wits. Picaresque stories are often satirical, and the allusions to the genre reflect on this young man’s society, highlighting the corruption necessary for people to be simultaneously laboring and starving. Additionally, the protagonist differs from a typical picaro. He is not cunning or mischievous; he is timid and honest, which casts him less as a hero than an everyman. This status is reinforced by his lack of a name, similar to the story’s other characters. The voice of the detached narrator adds veracity to this account, and the story itself can be seen as a work of realism.

The protagonist is a dynamic character, beginning the story adhering to a personal code and believing one should work for money and food.