David Bourne is the protagonist and–to a large extent–the point of view character in The Garden of Eden. Most of the novel is told from David’s perspective, guiding the audience through the world as he experiences it. Perhaps David’s defining trait is his stoicism. His childhood experiences caused him to be strong, silent, and unexpressive about his emotions. Any time he is in danger of expressing an emotion, he represses his feelings by changing the subject or blankly agreeing with Catherine’s suggestions. He remains stoic and tries to ignore anything that might upset his equanimity. He and Catherine have a complex financial relationship, for example, because she is wealthier than he is, which allows him to live above his means but also allows her to manipulate him. But after a brief discussion about his royalties, he never raises the topic of money with his wife. Anything that would cause him to need to express himself, or provoke Catherine into more extreme behavior, is repressed and ignored.  

David’s stoicism sometimes undermines him, however. His personality becomes a threat to his happiness because it prevents him from voicing his feelings.