Adam is an intelligent but not well-educated rural carpenter who feels that he understands "the natur o' things." For him, life is very simple; he believes that the world operates according to certain rather mechanistic principles which never change and that, likewise, one's life should be lived according to certain principles of right conduct. He has a stoic philosophy in that he feels that one should always do one's duty, no matter what the circumstances. For this reason, he is a sober young man, totally dedicated to his work; he rarely does things for his own pleasure but strives to do the right thing in every situation.
This orientation gives rise to many fine qualities. Adam's is a very strong nature; he is brave and aggressive, and he does not give way under pressure. Because he thinks he knows what "right" is, he is very self-confident, and he expresses himself honestly. His dedication to duty makes him strong-willed and persevering; it also leads him to approach problems in a very practical, forward-looking way. All in all, Adam is a very optimistic young man when the novel opens. He feels that he can handle any situation through positive action; he feels that he is in control of himself and the course of his own life.
Adam is somewhat immature though; his rather strict view of life has not been tempered by experience. As his reactions to his father show, he lacks sympathy for other people's weaknesses; he is dedicated to duty himself and he expects everyone else to have the same orientation. He is thus self-righteous and somewhat intolerant. His basic aggressiveness finds expression in a tendency towards violence; sometimes, as in his encounter with Wiry Ben, he seems to feel that violence is the honest and practical way to solve problems. Because he feels in control of his situation, Adam is a proud and self-centered man, one who tends to cling to his own opinion and to insist on getting his own way.
