Because he sees life this way, Adam is not a dreamer like Seth is; he is immensely practical. Compare, for example, these two quotations which, according to Lisbeth, sum up the brothers' religious positions: while Seth believes one should "take no thought for the morrow," Adam feels that "God helps them as helps theirsens." While Seth places most of his trust in God, Adam prefers to rely on himself.
The incident involving the tapping at the door also serves to indicate Adam's practicality. He will not allow himself to be influenced by superstition, and he dismisses the strange occurrence and keeps his mind on his work. Note, however, that the tapping is a true portent of death; conceivably, if Adam had been less practical, he could have saved his father. Eliot indicates that Adam's pragmatism creates a blind spot: He is insensitive to and unresponsive towards those forces in life which are beyond his control. As the novel develops, this simplistic and overly confident view of reality takes on greater and greater significance; Adam must abandon it in order to reach maturity.
Although Adam's strength and self-control are admirable, he suffers from faults which trouble many aggressive people; as this chapter shows us, he is quick to anger and impatient of others' weaknesses. When his father fails to make the coffin he has contracted for, Adam is furious and contemplates leaving home; his natural urge is to reject people who don't act in a way he thinks proper.
He finally decides to stay out of a sense of duty, though, and this reemphasizes Adam's real strength. He may be proud and quick-tempered, but the young man is guided by a determination to do right. He has a good heart at base, too; he regrets having treated his father badly after he finds him dead.
