Hal “Jeff” Jeffries is the protagonist and narrator of the story. Readers experience the story and learn about other characters through his point of view. Temporarily confined to his apartment by an injury, he becomes obsessed with watching his neighbors from the rear window of his apartment. As the story unfolds, Jeff goes from a passive onlooker to a determined detective, actively investigating the murder mystery.

His interest in his neighbors starts as a form of escapism, a way to distract himself from his injury and the monotony of his daily life at present. It also provides him with a sense of human connection in his isolation. Jeff is resourceful, intelligent, and determined, but there are darker aspects to his character as well. From the beginning of his narrative, he makes numerous but insufficient excuses for his behavior. He invades the privacy of his neighbors but resists any reciprocal visibility, hiding in the shadows. Even the reader remains at arm’s length. Outside of the immediate events of the story, readers learn little about the life of Hal Jeffries.

Moreover, while Jeff does unmask a murderer, both his attitude and his language speak more to his need to triumph over Thorwald than his desire to find justice for Thorwald’s wife.