As Moreau’s assistant and only confidante, Montgomery presents a bit of an enigma. At times, he exhibits sympathetic qualities, rescuing Prendick from the sea, defending M’ling from Captain Davies, and befriending the Beast Folk that his master scorns. However, Montgomery lacks both the strong moral code of Prendick and the obsessive intellectual drive of Moreau. He espouses a nihilistic view of life, arguing that the universe is essentially meaningless, governed by chance. He rues his status as an outcast from English society, blaming his exile on a series of chance events that occurred when he was a young man, but he never reveals the circumstances that led to his expulsion, suggesting that his habit of blaming chance is simply a cop-out.   

According to Moreau, when Montgomery first came to the island, he was just as offended as Prendick by the cruelty of Moreau’s vivisections. However, over time, Montgomery learned to suppress his guilty conscience with alcohol and by resigning himself to the fact of the world’s absurdity. Despite his unhappiness, he finds his place on the island, supporting Moreau’s work and even socializing with the Beast Folk. When Moreau’s death signals the collapse of that society, Montgomery falls into despair and gives up all hope.