Howl might not be as evil as Sophie initially thought he was, but that’s not to say he isn’t dramatic and selfish. He expects Sophie to somehow entertain him, and he’ll make life difficult until she does. Really, it seems like Howl just wants someone to talk to him as he ruminates. The Witch’s curse is clearly weighing on his mind, which makes Howl look vulnerable—someone, at least, is able to frighten Howl and make him worry for the next little while. Listening to Howl think out loud gives Sophie more insight into who Howl is when his guard is down, potentially altering her vision of him.