Anders couldn't get to the bank until just before it closed, so of course the line was endless and he got stuck behind two women whose loud, stupid conversations put him in a murderous temper. He was never in the best of tempers anyway
-- Narration (N/A paragraph 1)

Importance: This is the first line of the story. It establishes the third-person narration as filtered throughout Anders' perspective, and it also establishes Anders' bitter, frustrated demeanor. The narrative examines and elaborates upon this characterization as a central thematic element throughout the story.

Anders—a book critic known for weary, elegant savagery with which he dispatched almost everything he reviewed.
-- Narration (N/A paragraph 1)

Importance: This line establishes the fact that Anders is a literary critic and that his jaded, cynical attitude pervades his work as well. The confluence of these character traits directly inform his thoughts and behavior during the robbery. The narrative eventually expands upon these preliminary insights by giving...