Enduring Understanding

H.G. Wells tends to portray his characters as men who are driven by the unknown. Many main characters that Wells creates have the desire to create something new. He also develops the characters through their intelligence. 

Hawley Griffin is the main character in the book The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells. He is a troubled scientist who has a desire to posses more power. Griffin wants to gain more power with a scientific breakthrough. He wants to be the first scientist to find a way to become invisible. He experiments with dangerous chemicals to achieve this goal. He attempted experiments on stray dogs and cats, but those experiments had no results. Nobody had ever been able to be invisible before, which drove Griffin to make it happen. He was inspired by the unknown. He wanted to do something that had never been done before to show the world how great of a scientist he was. His arrogance was always his biggest flaw in life. His curiosity turned him mad, for example, “ The frantic gesticulations they surprised now and then, the headlong pace after nightfall that swept him upon them round quiet corners, the inhuman bludgeoning of all tentative advances of curiosity, the taste for twilight that led to the closing of doors, the pulling down of blinds, the extinction of candles and lamps— who could agree with such goings on?” (Wells 23). Through his dangerous experiments he learns the true strength of his mind. He learned   that with great power comes greater responsibilities. The urge grew stronger to a point of no control. When Griffin first realizes the power he has he states, “A feeling of extraordinary elation took the place of my anger as I sat outside the window and watched these four people…trying to understand the riddle of my behaviour… I was invisible, and I was only just beginning to realize the extraordinary advantage my invisibility gave me,” (114). This statement foreshadows Griffins future actions because of the special power invisibility gives. He abuses this power to create chaos.

The Time Traveler is the main character in H.G. Wells noble, The Time Machine. The Time Traveler is a very curious and adventurous character. He is always wanting to learn more. The Time Traveler is an inventor. He is a man fascinated by time and the value it has. When he had guest for dinner he states, “There is no difference between time and any of the three dimensions of Space except that our consciousness moves along it,” (Wells 6). He has a passion that he wants to share with those around him. He wants to strike curiosity into his peers and make them understand that passion. He invented the time machine soon after this dinner, but none of his guest were as intrigued by the machine. He would have to travel into the unknown by himself away from the world he knows. Before this point there had never been a way to go back or forward in time. The Time Traveler was always curious about this and wanted to make a way for humans to be able to travel time. The unknown in the science of time travel is what prompted The Time Traveler to invent this. In the novel, The Time Traveler travels forward in time. On this journey, he finds two different species, Eloi and the Morlocks. On this adventure there tends to be themes of societal evolution and also the consequences of humans actions. These themes help the reader see what the time traveler sees. He finds an Eloi that he falls in love with (Weena), but after a fire he loses her forever. He explains his efforts to find his love when he states, “ I searched for traces of Weena, but there were none,” (58). He loses the love of his life, and destroys the future with the fire he caused. Weena was not the only one harmed, for he killed all of the Eloi and Morlocks on earth. He has paid consequences for his curiosity of time travel. The Time Traveler has destroyed mankind as a whole.

  H.G. Wells typically vividly describes his settings. His settings transport the readers to different places and different times to keep them drawn to the story being told. 

In, The Invisible Man, the story begins in a small town called, Iping. The small town adds mystery to the story. It also shows the isolation trait that Hawley Griffin has. Later in the story, when the setting changes to London, Griffin is invisible.  The description of the weather is also a key part for the setting in the novel. He foreshadows Griffins actions when describing the weather in London, “—weary, cold, painful, inexpressibly wretched, and still but half convinced of my invisible quality, I began this new life to which I am committed. I had no refuge, no appliances, no human being in the world in whom I could confide… I made no plans in the street. My sole object was to get shelter from the snow, to get myself covered and warm; then I might hope to plan. But even to me, an Invisible Man, the rows of London houses stood latched, barred, and bolted impregnably” (122). Once he has spent many days alone and stuck outside he once again reflects on the consequences of being invisible, “The more I thought it over...the more I realised what a helpless absurdity an Invisible Man was—in a cold and dirty climate and a crowded civilised city” (139). The contrast between the small town and the huge city show all of the challenges and consequences that come from being invisible. The different settings really show the suspense. Because the setting changes so drastically, it kept the story interesting, and made the readers want to keep reading. Through the mysterious and dark setting Wells is able to set a tone for the invisible man himself. Through those parts of the setting, the isolation of Hawley Griffin is further developed.

In the novel, The Time Machine, the novel begins in Victorian England.  When the story begins, it is the late 1800s. During this time it was very proper and Victorian. When The Time Traveler travels into the future, a different version of England is shown. The People were split into two separate groups. These groups were called the Eloi and the Morlocks. The Eloi were the people who were small and delicate. They preferred to live life calmly. However, due to their easy lifestyle they start to lose their edge. He explains that they are in such state because, “Nature never appeals to intelligence until habit and instinct are useless. There is no intelligence where there is no change and no need of change,” (61). The Time Traveler explains that the reason that Eloi are the way they are is because society has been constant for so long. The Morlocks were the people who were more tough and fierce creatures by nature. The Eloi and the Morlocks did not have a good relationship.  The setting changing from England being very proper, to turning into somewhat of a split world, kept the readers involved and curious as to how England transformed into what it did in the novel. The world had begun to change for the worse. One species had grown complacent, and the other had gone evil. The time traveler portrays this when he states, “The ruddy sunset set me thinking of the sunset of mankind,” (23). This metaphor compares the dying of mankind and possibly the world as we know it.

H.G. Wells plots are usually about his character exploring different ideas. His plots make the readers think about the main ideas and encourage them to think about how humans actions can affect the world, and what it would become. 

For example, in, The Invisible Man, the plot really challenges readers and makes them think. Hawley Griffin invents a way to become invisible and once he is invisible the power goes to his head and he becomes a bad guy. This book explores themes about power and the consequences of actions. At one point Griffin even questions himself, “Ambition—what is the good of pride of place when you cannot appear there?”(70). He has realized that him being invisible can no longer be seen as beneficial because no one can see him. He realizes the consequences he must now pay.  This book makes readers question about the use of power and the impact it can have on people as well as the society. When he is traveling around London and he first realizes that he has made a terrible mistake he says, “I have wasted strength, time, opportunities. Alone… To rob a little, to hurt a little, and there is the end,” (72). He explains the emotions that he experienced when he gained this power. Then he compares this feeling it to how he felt in the present to further the idea that actions will have consequences. It also makes readers think about the responsibilities that come with having powers. The novel challenges readers to consider consequences of having great strength. In this novel the invisibility symbolizes the hidden aspect in people. This gets the readers thinking and questioning. 

Additionally, in, The Time Machine, the plot is set when the time traveler first builds the time machine. He has created a way to mix the past, future, and present all into one place. He travels unfamiliar areas throughout his voyage. Through his traveling he uncovers many secrets. He finds out about the good and the bad in the future.  The book exposes readers to the effects that your actions may have on the world. The harmful things done may not have any affect in your life, but could affect others lives many years after. He also speaks about overcoming hard times when he says, “We are kept keen on the grindstone of pain and necessity,”(25). This book also introduces societal evolution. There is change in where people live, communication, and transportation in this novel. These are all scenarios that are possible to evolve or change over time. This book introduces how world diversification will change and everyone will be equal. After he kills the population of the Morlocks and the Eloi he travels further into the future. He describes the new World as such, “I cannot convey the sense of abominable desolation that hung over the world,” (66). This is when he learns that because of what happened with the Morlocks and the Eloi mankind is now gone. 

H.G. Wells writes many of his stories in first person of the protagonist of the story. He uses first person point of view in order to take readers on the journeys with the main characters. The speakers in his books, The Invisible Man and The Time Machine, both go on exhilarating journeys throughout the novels. 

To begin, in The Invisible Man the speaker, Hawley Griffin, is the invisible man. The whole novel is in his perspective. The novel being in Griffins perspective allows readers to view his thoughts being invisible. His emotions are easily seen and expressed. His actions are described through the dialog. He explains how his everyday life is before he becomes invisible and why he believes it will not affect his life. For example he states, “I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me,” (34). Every experience he goes through, he takes the readers along with him. This makes it possible to see all of the challenges Griffin faces. Griffin speaking in first person is significant in order to understand him and his motivations. Griffin speaks about his motives to become invisible because he feels that no one understands him. He describes these emotions when he states, “...the inhuman bludgeoning of all tentative advances of curiosity, the taste for twilight that led to the closing of doors, the pulling down of blinds, the extinction of candles and lamps— who could agree with such goings on?” (23). This is foreshadowing the decision to experiment on himself. He wants to be different and speaks about how others have quit, and he believes that it is mad to give up on something that you have a passion for.

Furthermore, in The Time Machine, the novel is told by The Time Traveler. The Time Traveler is the one who invented the time machine and traveled forward in time. Throughout all of his incredible experiences and journeys, his inside thoughts are shown. He can picture time travel before he truly accomplishes it. Peers are confused about the idea of time travel, for they do not understand why Griffin wants to. For example when he says, “Very simple was my explanation, and plausible enough--- as most of my theories are wrong,” (25). He makes the connection between his previous theories to his theory of time travel. He announces his confidence, but also his failure before.  Readers can see the future world through The Time Travelers eyes. The Time Traveler using first person point of view allows the readers to witness all of the events and experiences the same way he does. This is significant because it makes the future, from The Time Travelers view, very clear. We truly see the time travelers feelings for what they are. For example when he speaks of the dying population of the Morlock and Eloi, “ I grieved to think how brief the dream of the human intellect had been. It had committed suicide,” (61). The traveler’s feelings about the downfall of mankind is expressed through his perspective. He also expresses his opinion on how change is good so humans don’t stay compliant. The Time Traveler makes that connection due to the poor state of London in the future.