Now that he got up when he chose, and his life had no fixed framework of duties, the hours hunted him like a pack of blood-hounds.
-- Narration (N/A)

Importance: At the beginning of the main narrative, Betton feels frustrated with the life changes that his literary success has wrought. He no longer requires a regular job, and the lack of a schedule feels disorienting. He also feels frustrated with his own fame and notoriety. However, as the story progresses, the narrative reveals the delusions and hypocrisies of these attitudes. He underappreciates his own privileges, and he underestimates his own dependence on acclaim.

For it was the worst part of his plight that his first success had goaded him to the perpetration of this particular folly—that one of the incentives (hideous thought!) to his new work had been the desire to extend and perpetuate his popularity.
-- Narration (N/A)

Importance: At first, Betton enjoyed his newfound fame...