Niccolo is a largely passive protagonist in the story, following along with Paul’s intentions and reflections, rarely disagreeing. While Niccolo is not an active participant in his own story, the third-person narration is closest to his internal thoughts; while much of Niccolo’s interior life remains ambiguous, the narration does sometimes offer important insights.

In the opening scene, Niccolo seems more interested in the Bard’s stories than he lets on, listening intently with tears in his eyes until Paul interrupts. Niccolo also professes a slight fear of Paul due to his greater academic abilities. For his own prospects, he doesn’t seem to have much hope, stating that he’ll likely “grow up to be a control-board guard like everyone else” (28). He offers only minor retorts to Paul’s assertions, usually in the form of confused questions. 

Niccolo is less effective at conforming to his society’s ideal image of a young man than his friend Paul. To an extent, Niccolo is aware of his shortcomings, working to hide his interest in and even care for the Bard, which appears to have been a childhood toy. Niccolo’s behavior overall suggests a keen willingness to conform and yield to the control of his societal norms.