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I'm trying to find a novel, short story or novella, in which a character performs a one-time action, an action that is surprising and helps the reader understand the character better, ( like Meursault's murder of the Arab in Camus's The Stranger) and if possible also one in which the character performs habitual actions (repeatedly and consistently to signify a certain trait, like Eveline's dusting in James Joyce's short story.
Any help would be appreciated
Thanks! :)
In Tess of the d'Urbervilles, which seems to be my answer to everything, both Angel Clare and Tess perform one-time actions that were not expected. John Durbeyfield constantly tells everyone how he is descended from noble blood. He's also often drunk. There is also a minor character who paints religious slogans everywhere.
In Great Expectations, Pip's sister always wears a white apron to signify how hard she has to work, and is always declaiming how she brought Pip up by hand.
Don't fully get what you are looking for: it seems like any story would fit your description. However, I suggest Melville's Bartleby the Scrivener - it seems to be what you are looking for (I think)
Perhaps Dracula would fit the bill?
He had a penchant for gnawing on throats and consuming blood.