The Waves follows six friends—Bernard, Neville, Louis, Susan, Jinny, and Rhoda—from childhood to old age through poetic inner monologues. Their lives unfold in separate but interconnected reflections on identity, time, and existence. The group is deeply influenced by their friend Percival, whose death marks a turning point in their lives.
The novel is highly experimental, using a lyrical style and sea imagery to explore consciousness, individuality, and the passage of life.