THE INVISIBLE MAN: PLOT SUMMARY / ANALYSIS

THEMES

Corruption of morals in the absence of social restriction

Science without humanity

(Note: see additional theme analysis in Overall Analysis section.)

MOOD

The mood is generally distant as that of a newspaper reporting telling about a strange event. In the sections where Griffin is telling his own story, the tone is one of self-justification, lack of conscience, and even a certain amount of arrogance.

H. G. Wells - BIOGRAPHY

Born September 21, 1866, Herbert George Wells has been called the Father of Science Fiction. His best-known stories are The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, and The War of the Worlds, but he wrote over 100 books, among them nearly 50 novels.

Wells had humble origins; he was the son of domestic servants who had become shop keepers. At the age of 17 he left a hated apprentice position and became a pupil/teacher in a small country school. He won a scholarship to the Normal School of Science in London, but never obtained his degree. Subsequently, he held the poorest paying teaching positions. He tried his hand at a novel, but the first one was not well accepted.

When a hemorrhage threatened his life, Wells abandoned his unsuccessful marriage as well as his poor paying job and ran off with one of his students whom he later married. Out of necessity, he turned to journalism and short story writing. Within a year he wrote The Time Machine, a novel that has been described as a “resounding success.” A few years later he wrote The War of the Worlds (1897), his most famous work. He was soon able to give up journalism and devote himself to becoming a full time novelist.

In 1901, Wells turned to advocating social ideals and became involved with the Fabians. Association and quarrels with such individuals as George Bernard Shaw and Sidney and Beatrice Webb who thought he was trying to take over the Fabian Society led to the creation of Ann Veronica and The New Machiaveli.

One of his most famous non-fiction works is The Outline of History, a tome of more than 1,000,000 words in which he tries to awaken the world leaders to the “instability of the world order.” These were followed with The Science of Life, and The Work, Wealth and Happpiness of Mankind. “Throughout the 30's he was at the storm center of every event that seemed to be propelling civilization toward suicide.” He interviewed Stalin and Roosevelt in an attempt to find a peaceful solution between the ideologies represented by the two leaders. In the 1930s, he became president of the International Association of Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists and Novelists.

(Sources: Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th Edition and “The Life of H.G. Wells,” by Gregory Benford, novel forward)

LITERARY / HISTORICAL INFORMATION

In the late 1800's, England had some rather stuffy notions about humanity and social behavior in general. Wells' intention in The Invisible Man was to experiment with the limits to which a person might go if he/she were released from the bonds of social restriction. Wells himself attended the Normal School of Science in London where he was impressed with a romantic conception of science, which is subsequently reflected in his writing. The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, and The Invisible Man were all written in the style of what was called "scientific romance" as the term "science fiction" was not invented until 30 years later.

After 1901, Wells' association with the Fabians led his writing in a different direction. The Fabians were young upper class intellectuals with idealistic notions about social change. They wanted to achieve gradual change through democratic measures. Although Wells eventually broke with the Fabians, the association led to deeper involvement in world politics and with the publications urging world peace and compromises between capitalism and communism.

The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells: Free BookNotes Summary

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