Who is Neville from The Waves and what is their importance?

When we first meet Neville, he is a sickly and neurotic child. As the novel progresses, he comes across as the most confident of the boys. This confidence, however, is a direct reflection of his upper class up bringing, as in many ways his life has already been mapped out.

When Neville first goes to boarding school, he is completely prepared and not at all nnervous. His later transition into as a big name poet comes naturally and with little doubt that he will become anything else. Unfortunately, Neville is unable to deal with anything that threatens the order of his life. This first becomes apparent at boarding school where he claims to hate Christianity, a way of life that obviously conflicts with his sexual orientation.

The combination of Neville's confidence in his identity and his inability to adjust to change means that he lives his life too soon. He becomes jealous of Louis, who he thinks has found the creative environment that he no longer possesses. In addition, he knows that Louis has more to say simply because Louis has had to make his life and build up the confidence that was lacking in the beginning.