Howards End

The narrator of the novel is often presented as an omniscient third-person narrator. However, the narrator often speaks in the first-person and provides their views on some of the events in a manner that is at odds with the conventional third-person narrator. The extra voice highlights the novel’s sense of conflict since the narrator often disagrees with the actions of the characters.

The unorthodox character of the narrator is made apparent by the first line of the book, which reads, “One may as well begin with Helen’s letters to her sister” (3). Rather than simply beginning with the letters, the narrator considers how to begin and only provides a flippant comment on the matter. The idiosyncrasies of the narrator retreat, as the narrator takes on the characteristics of a traditional third-person narrator, but they occasionally interject. For instance, the narrator uses the first-person when discussing their thoughts on how the Wilcoxes handle the execution of Mrs. Wilcox’s will after her death. 

Moreover, there are reflections on various themes throughout the novel that are not attributed to the thoughts of any of the characters. For example, when the narrator talks about England’s lack of its own mythology at the beginning of Chapter 33, the reflections are prompted by Margaret’s walk but are not presented as Margaret’s own thoughts.