Samuel in Open Water: Character Analysis
Overview
Samuel is the narrator's close friend who sets the novel's central relationship in motion by introducing the narrator to the woman at a birthday party in a south-east London pub. He is initially the woman's partner, and his friendship with the narrator becomes collateral damage as the narrator and the woman grow closer. Samuel's role is relatively small in terms of page time, but his presence haunts the narrative: he is the person the narrator betrays, the friend who sees what the narrator cannot admit, and the one who demands the honesty the narrator cannot give.
His arc moves from trusted facilitator to betrayed outsider to absent presence, and his final confrontation with the narrator in Chapter 13 is one of the novel's most emotionally charged scenes. Samuel is not a villain—he is a friend who was never given the truth, and his demand for honesty exposes the narrator's central flaw.
Plot Role
Samuel's plot role begins in Chapter 1, when the narrator asks him to introduce him to a woman at a birthday celebration. Samuel obliges, explaining that she is a dancer and he is a photographer. This introduction is the catalyst for everything that follows. In Chapter 2, the narrator reveals to his brother Freddie that the woman is seeing Samuel, and that he saw them kissing in the corner of the bar.
Samuel's second significant appearance comes in Chapter 4, when the narrator is at the woman's flat after a long evening together. Samuel arrives home—he is her partner—and the narrator is consumed by shame. Samuel's line, 'I've heard you had quite a night,' delivered with feigned surprise, marks the moment the friendship begins to fracture.
By Chapter 10, the woman has ended things with Samuel, and the narrator notes that Samuel has withdrawn, growing more distant as the narrator and the woman grew closer. When the narrator tries to check in on him after the split, calls go unanswered and messages go undelivered. Samuel has severed the connection.
Samuel's final and most consequential appearance is in Chapter 13, when he confronts the narrator on a train platform at Elephant and Castle. He asks directly whether the narrator and the woman are together, and when the narrator says they're not, Samuel presses: 'But you want to be?' He tells the narrator he saw the way he looked at her when they first met, and again in December. He says he's tired of people lying to him. The narrator's response—'Honestly, I don't know'—is not enough, and Samuel walks away.
Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions
Samuel's actions reveal a man who values honesty and directness. When he confronts the narrator, he doesn't dance around the subject. He names what he saw: 'I saw the way you looked at her when you first met. I saw the same look when I came over to hers that time, in December. I heard how you spoke about each other.' This is not the accusation of a jealous partner but the frustration of a friend who has watched two people he cares about fall for each other while being kept in the dark.
Samuel is also generous. He introduces the narrator to the woman at the party, and later recommends the narrator as a photographer when his girlfriend asks if he knows one. He is the one who 'engineered' the meeting in Chapter 4. This generosity makes his later hurt more understandable: he trusted the narrator, and that trust was not reciprocated with honesty.
Samuel is perceptive. He notices the narrator's look at the first meeting, and he notices it again in December. He reads the situation accurately, even when the narrator cannot or will not. His question—'Are you and her together yet, then?'—is pointed, and his follow-up, 'But you want to be?' cuts to the heart of the matter.
Chronological Arc
Samuel's arc moves from trusted friend to betrayed outsider to absent presence. In Chapter 1, he is the facilitator, the one who makes the introduction. In Chapter 2, he is the partner, kissing the woman in the corner of the bar. In Chapter 4, he is the one who arrives home to find the narrator and the woman in an intimate domestic scene, and his feigned surprise—'Oh, hey'—signals that he knows more than he lets on.
By Chapter 10, Samuel has been broken up with and has withdrawn from the narrator's life. The narrator reflects that Samuel 'has withdrawn, growing more distant as the pair of you here grew closer.' When the narrator tries to reach out after the split, Samuel doesn't respond. He has made a decision to cut ties.
In Chapter 13, Samuel re-emerges for a confrontation. He is 'short, sharp, curt' with the narrator before getting to the point. He demands honesty, and when he doesn't get it, he walks away. This is the last we see of him in the narrative—a figure who has said his piece and left.
Relationships
Samuel's primary relationships are with the narrator and the woman. With the narrator, he is initially a close friend—close enough that the narrator feels comfortable asking for an introduction. The friendship deteriorates as the narrator's feelings for the woman grow. Samuel's withdrawal is a response to what he perceives as dishonesty. The narrator acknowledges this: 'You're not thinking of the fact that that friend no longer considers you so, will not return your calls or text messages.'
With the woman, Samuel is a partner who is ultimately left. She ends things, and the narrator notes that she recently ended things with Samuel. When Samuel confronts her about the narrator, she 'couldn't give him a straight answer,' which suggests she too was not fully honest with him.
Key Decisions and Consequences
Samuel's key decision is to confront the narrator in Chapter 13. He has watched the narrator and the woman grow close, he has been broken up with, and he has severed contact. But he chooses to seek out the narrator and demand honesty. The consequence is that he gets a non-answer—'Honestly, I don't know'—and walks away. This confrontation does not repair the friendship, but it does force the narrator to confront his own avoidance. The narrator reflects: 'To give desire a voice is to give it a body through which to breathe and live... It was easier for you to remain silent and hold the desire to yourself.'
Samuel's earlier decision to introduce the narrator to the woman, and later to recommend him as a photographer, has the unintended consequence of bringing two people together who will eventually fall for each other. His generosity becomes the source of his own hurt.
Theme and Symbol Connections
Samuel connects to the theme of the honest gaze and being seen vs looked at. He demands honesty from the narrator, and his confrontation is an attempt to be seen truthfully. He tells the narrator he's 'tired of people lying to me,' which is a plea for the kind of honest gaze the novel explores throughout.
Samuel also connects to the theme of grief, loss, and healing. He loses both a partner and a friend, and his response is to sever the connection entirely. His withdrawal is a form of self-protection, a way of managing loss by cutting it off at the source.
The love triangle Samuel is caught in connects to open water as metaphor for love and vulnerability. The narrator's inability to be honest with Samuel is a form of treading water, avoiding the plunge into vulnerability.
For more on how these dynamics play out across the novel, see the ending explained and the questions and answers pages.
Questions and Answers
1. Why does Samuel introduce the narrator to the woman in the first place?
Samuel introduces the narrator to the woman at a birthday party in a south-east London pub because the narrator asks him to. Samuel obliges, explaining that she is a dancer and he is a photographer. Later, in Chapter 4, we learn that Samuel also engineered a second meeting: his girlfriend asked if he knew any photographers, and he recommended the narrator.
2. What does Samuel confront the narrator about in Chapter 13?
Samuel confronts the narrator on a train platform at Elephant and Castle. He asks whether the narrator and the woman are together, and when the narrator says they're not, Samuel presses: 'But you want to be?' He tells the narrator he saw the way he looked at her when they first met, and again in December. He says he's tired of people lying to him and demands to know 'what the deal is.'
3. How does Samuel react when he finds the narrator at the woman's flat in Chapter 4?
Samuel arrives home to find the narrator at his girlfriend's flat. He says, 'I've heard you had quite a night,' with feigned surprise. He walks over to his girlfriend and gives her a quick peck, then goes to make tea. The narrator, consumed by shame, leaves shortly after.
4. Why does Samuel sever contact with the narrator?
Samuel severs contact after the woman ends their relationship and as the narrator and the woman grow closer. The narrator notes that Samuel 'has withdrawn, growing more distant as the pair of you here grew closer.' When the narrator tries to check in on him after the split, calls go unanswered and messages go undelivered. Samuel's confrontation in Chapter 13 suggests the reason: he felt the narrator was dishonest about his feelings.
5. What does Samuel's confrontation reveal about his understanding of the narrator's feelings?
Samuel's confrontation reveals that he has been perceptive about the narrator's feelings all along. He says he saw the way the narrator looked at the woman when they first met, and again in December. He heard how they spoke about each other. He even predicts they'll 'probably end up getting married.' His understanding is more accurate than the narrator's own self-awareness, and his demand for honesty is a demand that the narrator stop hiding from the truth.