Final answer:
The passages suggest that characters like Edwin may hate anything related to dressing up due to feelings of inauthenticity or discomfort with societal conventions. The narrative examples highlight discomfort with social norms and the internal struggles of the characters, leading to an understanding of Edwin's aversion to dressing up.
Step-by-step explanation:
The passages provided seem to convey a sense of discomfort or detachment when it comes to social customs or expectations. The protagonist in the first passage experiences profound melancholy due to the barren and deprived state of his surroundings, which translates into a dislike for pretense or insincerity reflected in frivolous activities such as a Teddy Bears Picnic.
Similarly, characters in subsequent passages experience social discomfort, like Bartleby, who declines dinner due to an unfamiliarity with dining; George Hadley, who feels overwhelmed by the imitation of life in the nursery; and the old dressmaker who is tormented by the embarrassment of an unplanned interaction.
In essence, these characters depict a struggle to conform to societal expectations or to find comfort in routine human interactions. The subtleties in their behavior and feelings contribute to the understanding of why dressing up or participating in societal activities could cause a negative reaction in someone like Edwin, possibly because such activities might feel inauthentic or force him into a role that doesn't align with his internal experiences.