Bernard is arguably the foremost character of The Waves, and the novel both starts and finishes with his point of view, and the final chapter is entirely his soliloquy, his reflections rounding up the narrative and tying in many of the modernist themes. He is the most traditional character and is in many ways representative of establishment privilege; he is rich, upper-class, heterosexual, and male, and pursues the traditional life path for a wealthy man with assuredness, feeling that this is his birthright. It is only in the final chapter that he begins to query wider existential meanings and explores more experimental modes of seeing life and replicating it in art. This final character shift can be read as a key part of the novel’s modernist manifesto and also of its treatment of the inexorable passing of time.

Bernard is characterized by his extroversion and confidence; he is highly social and enjoys experiencing life with and through others. He is attracted to writing because other people interest him so much. He is a lover of humankind. Bernard’s joy and sense of self are strengthened by being surrounded by people, and he has a resilient sense of how to deal with life’s challenges.