Pointed Roofs

Pointed Roofs (1915) by Dorothy M. Richardson is the first novel in her groundbreaking Pilgrimage series and is often credited as one of the earliest examples of stream-of-consciousness fiction in English literature.The novel follows Miriam Henderson, a quiet and observant English teenager, as she travels to Germany to work as a teacher at a girls' boarding school. Through Miriam's inner thoughts, impressions, and fragmented observations, Richardson explores her psychological development, growing independence, and discomfort with the rigid expectations placed on women. The narrative focuses more on internal experience than external action, emphasizing Miriam's intellectual curiosity, emotional struggles, and her perception of the people and world around her.Rather than offering a traditional plot, Pointed Roofs immerses readers in the texture of consciousness, marking a shift from Victorian storytelling to modernist introspection.