in particular, is often faulted for being primarily a frightened observer. Such criticism misses the point of Wells's characterizations. The people of England react as humans have historically reacted to invasions by technologically superior beings. "Since the Martians were evidently intelligent creatures," the Narrator notes, "it had been resolved to show them, by approaching them with signals, that we too were intelligent." Apples are offered as gifts, and dignitaries approach the Martians' spacecraft.

The attendees at this meeting seem to assume that a highly advanced civilization would also possess advanced moral values. Suddenly, there are "flashes of actual flame," and it was as if "each man were suddenly and momentarily turned to fire." Initial disbelief quickly turns into panic. Soon, the powerful military forces of England engage in battle and are decimated.

The Narrator, a journalist, is "busy upon a series of papers discussing the probable developments of moral ideas as civilization had progressed" when the story starts. He recounts the events with a journalist's keen eye for detail, making his commentary accessible to a wide audience. As an educated, modern individual, the Narrator serves as the reader's observer, striving to describe events as accurately as possible. Though he constantly fears for his life, he is "passive" only in the sense that he is powerless to stop the Martians. Throughout most of the novel, he uses his intellect to survive, just as anyone else would. Like Wells, the Narrator is fascinated by moral evolution and infuses his dialogue with ethical reflections. Nevertheless, nothing detracts from his fast-paced narrative, which spans from the sighting of "incandescent gas" on Mars to the poignant reunion with his wife.

The Artilleryman

The narrator first encounters the artilleryman outside his home. The soldier, part of a regiment decimated by the Martians’ Heat-Ray, is in shock and nearly speechless. They journey together until they meet a cavalry unit, which directs the artilleryman to a superior officer for reporting. The army is in such chaos that identifying the commanding officer proves difficult. When the Martians launch another Heat-Ray attack, the narrator is separated from the artilleryman and escapes by diving into the river.

They reunite in Chapter 7 of Book 2, with London reduced to a desolate ghost town. Initially, the artilleryman is protective of his territory and supplies, but he soon recognizes the narrator as his previous helper and shares his vision for humanity's future. He explains that the Martians will capture and fatten up those who resist for food and breeding, much like livestock. However, humans who avoid conflict and remain inconspicuous might be left alone. He envisions a new underground society, living in sewers, led by the strongest individuals. These survivors would continue learning until they discover a way to defeat the Martians. The narrator is initially impressed by the artilleryman’s plan but soon realizes that the man is not committed to hard work.

Instead of laboring through the night, the artilleryman has only dug a small hole and prefers to smoke, drink champagne, and play cards while gazing at the sky. Disillusioned, the narrator decides to leave him.

The Curate

In Chapter 13 of Book 1, the narrator encounters the curate watching over him after he falls asleep by a riverbed. They travel together, but the narrator quickly finds the holy man’s constant fear unnerving. This frustrates him further, as he believes a religious man should find courage through faith. When a Martian cylinder lands near the house they are scavenging, the narrator and the curate become trapped, too terrified to venture outside due to the Martian threat. Food becomes scarce, but the curate continues to eat wastefully and cry out in fear. Eventually, the curate’s mental instability leads him to make enough noise to attract the nearby Martians. In desperation, the narrator strikes him with the blunt end of an ax to silence him. A Martian investigates the noise and takes the curate's body, presumably to consume his blood.

Mrs. Elphinstone

Mrs. Elphinstone is a woman fleeing London alongside her sister. As thieves attempt to steal their horse-drawn carriage, the narrator’s brother steps in to help. Mrs. Elphinstone, who is pale and dressed in white, is visibly distressed and calls out for her husband, George. In contrast, her sister-in-law is dark-haired, slender, and composed; she is the one who draws a gun and fires at their assailants.

Lord Garrick

Lord Garrick serves as the Chief Justice. During the narrator’s brother’s escape from London, Lord Garrick is carried through the crowd on a stretcher. Despite his prestigious position, he receives no special consideration amidst the chaos.

Henderson

Henderson, a London journalist, lives near the site where the first Martian cylinder lands. He sends out an early report on the unfolding situation but becomes one of the first victims of the Martians when they emerge and use their Heat-Rays.

The Narrator

The novel’s first-person narrator remains unnamed. He is a philosopher working on a series of papers about the evolution of moral ideas when the Martian invasion begins. Residing southeast of London, near the invasion’s starting point, he is connected to the academic world and gets to observe Mars through the telescope of Ogilvy, a renowned astronomer. He also receives updates about the Martian canister from Ogilvy. The narrator borrows a wagon to take his wife to live with relatives but returns home as refugees flood the area.

The stress of the invasion deeply affects the narrator. Trapped in a house near a Martian camp, his frustration with the curate he is traveling with escalates to panic when the curate refuses to stay quiet. Fearing discovery, the narrator kills the curate and hides as Martian tentacles drag the body away.

His philosophical calm is shattered when he hears the artilleryman’s plans to rebuild the human population. Initially hopeful for a victory over the Martians, he comes to realize that humanity’s best hope might be to evade the Martians, much like insects that survive by staying hidden. Within a few weeks, his worldview shifts dramatically from seeing humans as dominant to recognizing their relative insignificance. By the end of the book, his mind temporarily breaks under the strain.

Upon discovering the Martians' lifeless bodies, he believes himself to be the sole human survivor. Later, those who care for him recount his delirious talk on this matter, though he was oblivious to their presence. Surviving this ordeal, his despair deepens when he returns home, convinced he'll never reunite with his wife. Eventually, she returns, and they settle into a semblance of their former life, yet he can never find true comfort again.

The Narrator’s Brother

Chapters 14, 16, and 17 of Book 1 detail the experiences of the narrator's brother, a medical student in London. While the narrator flees from the Martians' Heat-Rays, his brother remains unaware of the unfolding events. Through his perspective, readers witness the invasion's impact on the bustling city. He observes the spreading rumors and the ensuing mass panic as people become convinced of the alien threat. He also learns about the Black Smoke the Martians deploy to annihilate large groups of people.

Eventually, the narrator’s brother joins the throngs fleeing the city with whatever possessions they can carry. He teams up with Mrs. Elphinstone and her sister-in-law after rescuing them from bandits attempting to steal their horse and carriage. The sister-in-law fires a pistol at the thieves and then entrusts it to the narrator’s brother for their protection. They travel along the Thames River to the sea, where they secure passage on a boat. As the boat departs, they witness a Martian flying machine spraying Black Smoke on the shore. Since the narrator knows these accounts, readers can infer that his brother survived the Martian assault.

The Narrator’s Wife

The narrator’s wife has a minor role in the novel. When he first arrives home after examining the mysterious metal cylinder from Mars, she has dinner ready, highlighting the contrast between his emerging adventure and his ordinary life. When the Martian threat becomes apparent, he borrows a dog cart to take her to Leatherhead to stay with his cousin. Later, he hears that Leatherhead has been destroyed and its inhabitants killed, leading him to despair over ever seeing his wife again. However, she eventually returns home after the invasion concludes.

Ogilvy

An astronomer and friend of the narrator, Ogilvy invites the narrator to observe Mars through his telescope after the first cylinder is launched from Mars towards Earth. Later, he joins Stent and other astronomers to examine the cylinder upon its landing at Horsell Common. He is part of the group that approaches the cylinder with a white flag of peace, only for the Martians to annihilate the peace delegation with their Heat-Ray.

Stent

The Astronomer Royal, Stent leads the team, including Ogilvy, in investigating the first Martian cylinder upon its arrival. He is among the first casualties of the Martian attack.

From the 1960s to the 1990s, critics have often complained about the "passivity" of the characters in The War of the Worlds. The Narrator, in particular, is criticized for being mostly a fearful observer. This criticism, however, overlooks the purpose of Wells's characterizations. The people of England react as humans have historically reacted to invasions by technologically superior forces. The Narrator notes, "Since the Martians were evidently intelligent creatures, it had been resolved to show them, by approaching them with signals, that we too were intelligent." People bring apples as gifts, and dignitaries approach the Martians' spacecraft. Those gathered seem to assume that a race advanced in technology would also be advanced morally. Then, there are "flashes of actual flame," and "it was as if each man were suddenly and momentarily turned to fire." Initially, there is disbelief, followed by panic. Eventually, England's powerful military forces fight back but are decimated. This is a story that has been told before. For example, the Aztecs of Mexico initially mistook Cortez and his men for benevolent gods and were astonished by the Spaniards' horses, which they had never seen. When they realized that Cortez's men were not gods but conquerors, they fought and were slaughtered by vastly superior weapons.

Once the pattern of Wells's characterization is understood, the characters no longer appear passive in a story that centers on the technology of war. The Curate, who babbles because his mind is broken, represents one reaction to technology so advanced it seems like magic. He calls on God, but the unethical Martians are unaffected. The Artilleryman, full of bravado, is ultimately powerless. His fellow soldiers fought courageously and were massacred. The army and the Royal Navy responded with bravery, courage, and sacrifice. In the end, modern technology is defeated, leaving the Artilleryman with little to do but be brave. Technology is indifferent to courage and unaffected by bravery. The Martians are highly evolved brains with grotesque bodies, making them effective monsters — suitably grotesque and inhuman. The Narrator, an educated modern man, serves as the reader's observer, attempting to relate his experiences as accurately as possible. Constantly fearing for his life, he is "passive" only in the sense that he cannot stop the Martians. Throughout most of the novel, he uses his wits to avoid death, much like anyone else would. He is to the Martians what beasts are to humans; there is little he can do but hide from the predators.