Throughout the story the reader is introduced to three main characters, the narrator, the narrator's wife, and Robert, each of whom presents a different kind of "seeing" through their mutual relationships. The narrator is a character who is portrayed as arrogant, prejudiced, and rude to those around him, making him very "blind" to the world around him. For example, she couldn't see beyond the physical aspects of an affair and, in turn, couldn't understand how Beulah, Robert's wife, could have loved him. This aspect of his character determines how he behaves in his relationship with his wife. The relationship between the narrator and his wife is strained and unfortunate mostly due to the lack of communication. These two characters talk to each other, however, they neither listen nor “see” on a deeper level when they communicate, never going beyond superficial vision. For example, the phrase “If you love me,” he said, “you can do this for me (Mays),” the wife does not.