The narrator is a somewhat mysterious character who obscures much of his history until halfway through the story. At first, readers know only that the narrator is approximately in his thirties and that he is receiving treatment for alcohol addiction for the second time. His narration gradually reveals that he has a girlfriend, who brought him to treatment the second time around, but also a wife, who brought him to treatment the first time. His relationships with both women are strained, and much of his characterization stems from how he does not—or cannot—face the things that trouble them. These troubles include his girlfriend’s unknown but potentially serious diagnosis: “I hope she’s okay. But if she has something wrong with her, I don’t want to know about it” (218).

Although so much about the narrator remains a mystery (including his name, occupation, and physical appearance), his recollection of a memory from earlier in his marriage indicates that there are lost elements of his personality that he would like to regain. His memory is full of contemplation and his wife’s joyful laughter, which suggests a vitality that he sorely misses. The narrator’s arc from the beginning of his stay at Frank Martin’s to the end of the story suggests that there is hope for his recovery, and he himself may even be the source of this hope: At first, he distracts himself from his problems by becoming engrossed in J.