The motif of altruism vs cowardice appears, on the surface, to say that Rincewind’s abject self-interest is the only rational way to behave. This is typical of a picaresque narrative where the protagonist is a rogue and an outsider who doesn’t conform to the usual rules of society. Nothing Rincewind does is motivated by bravery or altruism. He has to be threatened with death (or worse) by others, like the Patrician or the Luggage. Of all the characters in the story, only Twoflower is shown to have any altruistic motives, and he is innocent to the point of naivety, oblivious to the evil around him.

The logical conclusion ought to be, then, that Rincewind is the most admirable character in the book. He is the only one using good sense; in real life, many people would try their best to avoid trouble, just like Rincewind does. However, because Twoflower is a “good” person, and because Rincewind is the protagonist of a fantasy novel (whether he likes it or not), readers enter the story with preexisting expectations of him. Readers expect him to be a hero, but he must be forced to do the “right” thing, and he is often punished for his self-interest (typically in absurd and humorous ways).