CHARACTERS AND THEIR RELFECTION OF CERTAIN ATMOSPHERES

In this first chapter we are introduced in a very strange but peculiar world. No setting nor dates are mentioned in this first part, but what we consistently see is the appearance of four characters and the atmospheres each one creates.
Mr Tench, an English man living in Mexico and working as a dentist, is the first character the reader encounters. Nothing important happens to him, until the moment he meets another character and full this part of his life with curiosity and friendliness. This event is really important in this character’s development, since it show us how lonely this person is and how he is amazed by meeting an individual who has a certain connection, both speak English. But this situation suddenly ends, and Mr. Tench is back to his daily reality; “Loneliness face him there, vacancy. But he was as accustomed to both as to his own face in the glass”(P.18). By this citation we can definitely realize Mr Tench is living a life of apathy and “spiritual deadness”.
The second unnamed character we get to know really fast is the Stranger. It´s really difficult to describe him as a person, since he only shows up in the meeting with Mr. Tench. What we can definitely perceive from this person, is that he always acts with mystery, anxiety, and hurry. “He sat there like a lack question mark, ready to go, ready to stay, poised on his chair” (P.15)
Throughout all the conversation he ignores certain themes and changes the topic of it. Another strange aspect, is this character has bottle of contraband alcohol, which can be an act of rebellion against law, or it can be his companion to fulfill certain feelings since when “He sipped at it. It was like and indulgence”(P.15)
By the other side, we see two characters, a boy and a girl who reflect two opposite moods. The boy shows sadness because his mother is dying, so he urges the last two mentioned characters for help. At this moment he is hoping his mother will survive because someone will help her.
All characters in this first part of the novel are either living under the conception of negativity and anonymity. At the end of this chapter, Mr Tench observes a young lady who is happy, but doesn’t pause to consider why she is happy. She is only caring about spreading a joyful atmosphere, without giving importance to her feeling meaning. For the first time we see a character who is demonstrating positive attitude towards life.

Would there be more happy characters in the rest of the novel?