# The Narrator — The Innocents Abroad character guide > The Narrator in The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Unknown, me, I, mine, Thy, Thou, your **First appearance:** 0002-the-innocents-abroad ## Snapshot The sharp-eyed pilgrim who signs on for a grand pleasure cruise to Europe and the Holy Land and finds every advertised marvel ripe for skeptical, comic deflation. ## Who they are He boards the Quaker City expecting a picnic on a gigantic scale — flags, cannon, moonlight dancing, hobnobbing with kings — and appoints himself the party's chief noticer and debunker. His running tension is between genuine wonder and a reporter's itch to puncture sham: he wants the Holy Land to mean something, yet he cannot stop measuring it against Missouri. His voice carries the book, turning a package tour into a running argument about what travel, history, and belief are actually worth. ## In the story ### [Dedication](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/dedication) The author inscribes the volume to his mother. ### [The Innocents Abroad](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/the-innocents-abroad) The primary voice and observer of the journey, providing witty commentary. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/i) The narrator describes his excitement and decision to join the excursion, depositing his payment and being accepted as an excursionist. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/ii) The narrator recounts his observations and experiences during the preparations and departure. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/iii) Describes his observations of passengers, his lack of seasickness, and his encounters with the ship's captains. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/iv) Describes the daily routines and amusements of the pilgrims, including the journal-keeping phenomenon. ### [Summer in Mid-Atlantic—An eccentric moon—Mr. Blucher loses confidence—The mystery of 'ship time'—The denizens of the deep—'Land hoh'—The first landing on a foreign shore—Sensation among the natives—Something about the Azores Islands—Blucher's disastrous dinner—The happy result.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/v) Describes the voyage, the moon, and the landing at Fayal. ### [Solid Information](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/vi) Provides observations and commentary on the Azores and the donkey ride. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/vii) Describes the storm, the sighting of land, and the emotional impact of seeing the American flag abroad. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/viii) Describes Tangier with awe and humor, reflecting on its ancient history and foreignness. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/ix) Describes the group's adventures and observations in Tangier. ### [Fourth of July at Sea and Arrival in Marseilles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/x) Describes the Fourth of July festivities and the group's arrival in Marseilles, attempting to communicate in French. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xi) Describes the group's adaptation to European life and leads the visits to various sites. ### [First Impressions of Paris and French Travel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xii) Describes his first evening in Paris and his experiences with French customs and travel. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xiii) Describes the hiring of the guide and the military review. ### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xiv) The narrator reflects on art, Parisian life, and makes a social blunder by complimenting a young lady aloud. ### [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xv) Visits Père la Chaise, recounts the story of Abelard and Heloise, and offers opinions on French and American women. ### [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xvi) Describes his impressions of Versailles and the Faubourg St. Antoine. ### [Genoa the Superb](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xvii) Describes the war with British sailors, arrival in Genoa, and observations of the city. ### [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xviii) Describes the journey and the awe-inspiring experience of visiting Milan Cathedral, including personal reflections and a childhood memory. ### [Chapter XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xix) Describes the Milanese lifestyle, bathhouse incident, and critique of art appreciation. ### [XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xx) Describes the journey, fumigation, and reflections on Lake Como. ### [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxi) Describes the journey through Italy, the landscape, and the people; recounts the legend told by the driver. ### [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxii) Describes his disillusionment with the gondola and gondolier, and his tour of Venetian landmarks. ### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxiii) Describes the Venetian square, criticizes American tourists, and reflects on art and his own lack of appreciation for old masters. ### [XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxiv) Describes the comfort of the ship, the suspicion in Leghorn, and his experiences in Florence and Pisa. ### [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxv) The narrator observes and critiques Italy's economic and religious conditions, interacts with a friar, and undergoes a passport inspection at Civita Vecchia. ### [XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxvi) Reflects on the loss of discovery in travel and imagines a Roman's perspective on America. ### [XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxvii) Describes the group's deliberate tactic of feigning indifference to exasperate guides. ### [XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxviii) Describes the ossuary and reflects on art in Rome. ### [XXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxix) Describes the quarantine, the Vesuvius expedition, and observations of Neapolitan character. ### [Ascent of Vesuvius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxx) Describes the sights and experiences of Naples, Capri, and Vesuvius. ### [The Buried City of Pompeii](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxxi) The narrator guides the reader through Pompeii, offering observations and reflections on the ruins and the passage of time. ### [XXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxxii) Describes the reunion, the sights, and the nighttime adventure in Athens. ### [XXXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxxiii) Describes the journey through the Archipelago and Constantinople, offering observations on history, culture, and local customs. ### [XXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxxiv) Describes his disappointment with Turkish lunch, bath, and narghile; reflects on Orientalist travel books. ### [XXXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxxv) Describes the ruins of Sebastopol, interacts with Russian and English visitors, and comments on Blucher's relic collection. ### [XXXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxxvi) Describes Odessa's American-like appearance, the story of Richelieu, and his anxiety about meeting the Emperor. ### [XXXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxxvii) Describes the experience of visiting Russian royalty, reflecting on the contrast between imperial power and ordinary humanity. ### [XXXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxxviii) Describes his irritation with the sailors' burlesque and his observations of Smyrna and its people. ### [XXXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xxxix) Describes his visit to Smyrna's sites, his humorous theories about oyster shells, and his participation in the Millerite story. ### [XL](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xl) Describes the journey to Ephesus, the donkey ride, and the legend of the Seven Sleepers. ### [XLI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xli) The narrator reflects on the relic prohibition, the excitement of approaching the Holy Land, and the camping experience. ### [XLII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xlii) Describes the camp, breakfast, horse 'Jericho,' and reflects on biblical history and Syrian oppression. ### [XLIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xliii) Describes the hardships of the journey, criticizes the pilgrims' hypocrisy, and records the day's events in his notebook. ### [Damascus: The Eternal City](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xliv) Describes the journey, the view of Damascus, and his impressions of the city. ### [XLV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xlv) Suffers from cholera, rests in Damascus, and later rides across the plain; refuses to use his umbrella and green spectacles to avoid looking ridiculous. ### [Dan, Bashan, and the Waters of Merom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xlvi) Reflects on the scale of Palestine and the historical events of the region. ### [XLVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xlvii) Reflects on the holy sites and the pilgrims' enthusiasm, and recounts Jack's turtle incident. ### [XLVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xlviii) Describes the scenes in Magdala and Tiberias, critiques other travelers' descriptions, and reflects on the Sea of Galilee. ### [XLIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/xlix) Describes his swims, his irritation with Pliny and St. Paul, and his interactions with the guard. ### [Chapter L](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/l) Reflects on the authenticity of holy sites and critiques pilgrims' behavior. ### [LI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/li) The narrator reflects on the Apocryphal New Testament and describes the pilgrims' dangerous antics. ### [LII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/lii) Describes the journey and his impressions of Jerusalem and the Samaritan community. ### [LIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/liii) Describes his emotional reaction at the tomb of Adam and his overall impressions of Jerusalem and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. ### [LIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/liv) The narrator leads the group through Jerusalem, describing the sacred sites and his own reflections on the experience. ### [LVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/lvi) Reflects on the desolate scenery and the end of the pilgrimage. ### [LVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/lvii) Describes the relief of being at sea, goes ashore in Alexandria, rides a donkey, and recounts a hotel experience. ### [Chapter LVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/lviii) Describes the Sphynx and reflects on Egypt's ancient civilization. ### [Going Home](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/lix) Reflects on the monotony of the voyage and his own past attempts at keeping a diary. ### [LX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/lx) The narrator admits to being the passenger who mistakenly complained about coffee that was actually tea. ### [The Valedictory](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/lxi) Writes the valedictory article for the New York Herald, defending his complimentary portrayal of the cruise and passengers. ### [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/conclusion) Reflects on the journey from San Francisco, expresses satisfaction with the excursion, and praises the benefits of travel. ### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/chapters/endnotes) Provides editorial comments and clarifications throughout the endnotes. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/characters/narrator - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_innocents_abroad_se/characters