The narrator is a young writer of speculative philosophy who lives with his wife in Maybury, about 30 miles southwest of London. He has a sound understanding of many aspects of science, which affords him an early look at the Martian invasion through his acquaintance with the astronomer Ogilvy. He maintains this front-row seat throughout the course of the Martian invasion, as the first cylinder lands about a mile from his home, and the Martians maintain that location as their base. His exposure to the Martians, already uniquely intimate, receives an incredible boost when the fifth cylinder crashes into the house in Sheen where he is hiding with a curate he encounters when attempting to meet back up with his wife. The two men are trapped inside by the rubble, fearful to venture out as the area is filled with Martians. Through a peephole, he is able to watch and learn about the Martians extensively. When he is finally able to escape his imprisonment after two weeks, he wanders toward London and becomes one of the first people to discover the Martian defeat.

Together, these unique circumstances enable him to claim that “no surviving human being saw so much of the Martians in action as I did” (142).