How Does H. G. Wells Create A Mock Society?
For thousands of years, man has unyieldingly strived to formulate a “perfect world”; an idealistic society free from dispute and destruction. Our history has exposed that a well-established society is an essential part of communication and a healthy lifestyle. However, society can also be one of the most delicate pieces of our lives. Expectations and laws seem to flow rather harmoniously when they are not tested. However, it is only when they are tested that they are likely to be shattered and are ultimately detrimental to our well-being. In The Island of Doctor Moreau, H. G. Wells explores a mock society in which order is created through law for his irrational, mangled, experimental “beasts.” The entire novel revolves around Doctor Moreau’s
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G. Wells hints throughout this writing that our world is imperfect by employing these distasteful, appalling, grotesque characters to essentially present the imperfections of human beings. Doctor Moreau objectifies himself as a divine person, a god, and the only being who is “perfect” through his unethical scientific experimentation. He subsequently fails to understand the further ethical implications and see that these “beast folk” are far from perfection. Prendick expresses, “His eyes came back to my hands. He held his own hand out, and counted his digits slowly, ‘One, Two, Three, Four, Five-eh?” (Wells, 55). The beast folk associate their class structure on the island with the number of fingers on their hands, identifying five fingers with their idea of “perfection.” Through Moreau’s own folly, it seems that he has made the creatures far more imperfect than what they were originally as animals. One of the most prominent happenings in the novel, perhaps, is the scene in which the beasts harmonize the Laws of the island that forbid the once-animals never to act in carnal ways. Prendick asserts, “A horrible fancy came into my head that Moreau, after animalizing these men, had infected their dwarfed brains with a kind of deification of himself.” (Wells, 59). Even though the audience may consider Moreau as corrupt rather than divine, most of the Beasts don’t know of life of the island any differently. Prendick sees right through Moreau and his “experimentation,” but this is entirely natural for the Beasts. Bruce Kawin claims, “The Law keeps the monsters in line, and so does the ritual reminder, ‘His is the House of Pain.” (102). These Laws act not only as a rule, but also as a religion, and the Beast strive to battle against their primitive instincts. The chanting of the law reminds the Beasts of the consequences of further experimentation if they were to rebel, maintaining structure in their society. The creatures condemn themselves for not being “perfect” like
G. Wells hints throughout this writing that our world is imperfect by employing these distasteful, appalling, grotesque characters to essentially present the imperfections of human beings. Doctor Moreau objectifies himself as a divine person, a god, and the only being who is “perfect” through his unethical scientific experimentation. He subsequently fails to understand the further ethical implications and see that these “beast folk” are far from perfection. Prendick expresses, “His eyes came back to my hands. He held his own hand out, and counted his digits slowly, ‘One, Two, Three, Four, Five-eh?” (Wells, 55). The beast folk associate their class structure on the island with the number of fingers on their hands, identifying five fingers with their idea of “perfection.” Through Moreau’s own folly, it seems that he has made the creatures far more imperfect than what they were originally as animals. One of the most prominent happenings in the novel, perhaps, is the scene in which the beasts harmonize the Laws of the island that forbid the once-animals never to act in carnal ways. Prendick asserts, “A horrible fancy came into my head that Moreau, after animalizing these men, had infected their dwarfed brains with a kind of deification of himself.” (Wells, 59). Even though the audience may consider Moreau as corrupt rather than divine, most of the Beasts don’t know of life of the island any differently. Prendick sees right through Moreau and his “experimentation,” but this is entirely natural for the Beasts. Bruce Kawin claims, “The Law keeps the monsters in line, and so does the ritual reminder, ‘His is the House of Pain.” (102). These Laws act not only as a rule, but also as a religion, and the Beast strive to battle against their primitive instincts. The chanting of the law reminds the Beasts of the consequences of further experimentation if they were to rebel, maintaining structure in their society. The creatures condemn themselves for not being “perfect” like