The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear

My Dad used to lecture me about the qualities of a story.  A required element for a good story, he’d say, was someone who wants something.  I've pretty much always stood by this rule, and most books I've read have followed it. It even applies to really bad books like Twilight- she wants the boy ( or, in this case, vampire.) Throughout the 13 ½ Lives of Captain Bluebeard, I’ve been trying to find out exactly what it is that Bluebeard wants, pretty much unsuccessfully.

Towards the middle of the book, I thought he wanted a home.  He spends a few of his "lives" searching for the capital city of his continent, Atlantis, and spends another couple living in Atlantis. He seemed like he was very drawn to the city of Atlantis, but eventually you realize that he isn’t quite at home there, nor does he really yearn for a home in general. When Atlantis is lifted off to a different planet (don't ask) he doesn't seem to care very much. So I don't think he wants a home. He actually seems like a pretty generally content person;  not too fussy, and willing to go with the flow (not like me.)

Throughout the book, he appears mostly as the wanderer; he goes everywhere, drifting around, gains experience and knowledge, but does not really have a goal.  There really isn’t much point to his life.  
 

How there are 3 things to consider:

1) the books could have been badly written (which I doubt because I enjoyed it so much and was just delighted by its cleverness),

2) there could have been many subtle wants that I just missed (very likely) or

3) this rule could be incorrect.   
 

I will cross out “1” because I really enjoyed the book so much that I would hesitate to say anything ill of it.  

Now left over are 2 and 3.  

There could certainly be more subtle themes/wants.  He obviously wants a girlfriend and a family, and even sees his future girlfriend as an illusion to draw him in to a trap.  However, I don’t know if this is the driving factor of the story, though.  Does it need to be?

The other option is that the rule could be wrong.  What about the reluctant hero?  I guess they want to not be the hero? What does Harry Potter want?  A family as well, but does that drive him? Argh! So many books about wanderers, or long series don't have clear desires to me. Oh! I'm so very confused. What about non-fiction? Like biographies? Do any rules apply to those? Do people actually have "driving desires" in their lives that they could write biographies about?  What about all the stories I've written for school? What about small-moment stores? Can a desire drive one teensy tiny moment? Can it drive a series as long as say, James Bond or Nancy Drew? What do they want? Maybeee James Bond wants a family, but it honestly seems like his awesomeness includes not having any real nonsexual desires. And I don't really know Nancy Drew, so I couldn't answer, but maybe she wants to just solve mysteries? The books could all be little parts of her pursuit to happiness.

I end this inconclusively.  Either Bluebeard really wants something I can’t figure out, or this rule is over my head. Either way, I’m the stupid one.