Characterization of the narrator

The main character in the short story “Galveston” by Frederick Barthelme is the narrator. We do not know much about the narrator, except that he has been married to Rachel for five years and works in an office. The lack of identity fits with the narrator’s mood, as he does not seem to care much about the world around him anymore.

The narrator also appears self-centered and shallow. While driving to the funeral of his wife's mother, he seems to think the trip was not fun enough, because he mentions that the only things that were “fun about the trip” was sleeping in the car. This way of phrasing makes it seem like the narrator is concerned only about his personal well-being instead of that of his wife. He appears obsessively preoccupied with himself and thinks of people only in relation to himself. For instance, when remembering his grandmother, he confesses that he did not love her at all and does not understand what his grandfather could have seen in her. This highlights the narrator’s shallow way of thinking, and his inability to understand other people’s perspectives. Another example is the way he describes Rachel as “not one of those best-looking women you ache for when you see t...