What does Mr. Van Daan do that makes his wife so upset? What does this tell you about his character?

Mr. van Daan wants to sell his wife's fur coat. This shows that he is thoughtful and thinks of everyone, even if his wife is extremely angry.

Mrs. Van Daan. No! No! No! Don’t you dare take that! You hear? It’s mine! (Downstairs PETER turns away, embarrassed,
miserable.) My father gave me that! You didn’t give it to me. You have no right. Let go of it . . . you hear?

[MR. VAN DAAN pulls the coat from her hands and hurries downstairs. MRS. VAN DAAN sinks to the floor, sobbing. As
MR. VAN DAAN comes into the main room, the others look away, embarrassed for him.]

Mr. Van Daan (to MR. KRALER). Just a little—discussion over the advisability of selling this coat. As I have often reminded
Mrs. Van Daan, it’s very selfish of her to keep it when people outside are in such desperate need of clothing. . . . (He
gives the coat to MIEP.) So if you will please to sell it for us? It should fetch a good price. And by the way, will you get me
cigarettes. I don’t care what kind they are . . . get all you can.

He tries and suceeds to sell the fur coat. Right after he tells Meip what to do, he adds that he wants a pack of cigars, indicating that he is just selling the coat for the cigars and that he doesn't care about the other people in the Annex.