The Waves

This section again opens with a description of the sun rising further over the sea and the landscape.

At University, Bernard feels torn between his extroverted self and internal sense of inferiority. He feels that other people only ever see a superficial part of him. Bernard tries writing a letter to a woman but he worries too much about it being memorable that he can’t find the right words to express himself. Neville is at university with Bernard and also wants to write. Neville’s poetry is inspired by the beauty he sees all around him, especially Percival’s beauty. Bernard wants to prove to Neville that he is not superficial, but he struggles to write something authentic and interesting that would convince Neville that he is multilayered.

Louis is working as a clerk in London. He eats in a restaurant where he can people-watch through the window. The people interest him so much that he can’t focus on his meal or the book that he’s reading. Louis is also writing and wants to recapture poetry in his book and make it accessible again to the people around him, whom he believes have given up on or forgotten about poetry.