Reference no: EM133426963
The Invisble Man Plot Summary
A riveting scientific mystery set in late nineteenth-century England, The Invisible Man illumines the moral descent of Griffin, a brilliant young scientist who has discovered invisibility. Outfitted with dark oversized spectacles, fake facial hair, and clothing covering his entire body, Griffin enters the village of Iping, where he secures lodging and attempts to hide his secret. Mr. and Mrs. Hall, owners of the inn, are among the first to ponder their guest's bizarre appearance and reclusive habits. Unusual occurrences and unsolved thefts arouse the curiosity of the other villagers. Eventually, attempting to evade paying his bill, Griffin unmasks himself, leaving the onlooking innkeeper and town constable horror-stricken. Stories of the Invisible Man's thefts and disappearance reach the newspapers.
The second section of the novel focuses on Griffin's past and the events that led him to his stunning discovery. Obsessed with his theories of light refraction and cell transparency, he stole money from his father to fund his research and experiments. Shortly thereafter, his father committed suicide, for the money had been loaned to him. Once invisible, Griffin became increasingly desperate, ruthless, and remorseless. In the final section, he launches a reign of terror after being betrayed to the police by a former university acquaintance, Dr. Kemp, with whom he had sought refuge. Having killed one man and wounded another, Griffin is finally contained by his pursuers and struck down with a spade. Now dead, he slowly materializes, naked upon the ground.
Although less serious in its conception than Well's earlier novels of ideas, The Invisible Man does propound the thesis that unchecked scientific investigation leads to moral vacuousness. Yet Wells avoids an overtly remonstrative tone. The novel endures as one of Well's most popular and convincing works.
The Invisible Man deals with questions of science and society. Wells poses many difficult questions about how we treat each other and what happens to individuals who gain the power of "invisibility." Write a 125 word blog about what you would do if you found a way to be invisible? How would your response differ from Griffin's? Would you use your new "gift" for good or for evil? Who would you "haunt" and why? Would your new power go to your head? How long do you think it would take before you began to be abusive with your new abilities?