The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells is a science fiction classic written in 1897. The novel was first serialized in Pearson’s Weekly the same year it was published.
Probably Wells’ third most well-known novel, after War of the Worlds and The Time Machine, The Invisible Man is famous more for its protagonist that its story – the bandage-clad figure of Griffin, complete with trench coat, hat and sunglasses, has stuck far better in the public consciousness than Wells’ actual story has. Griffin was a medical student who changed fields to physics. He had been fascinated with the way things refracted and reflected light. He theorized that if an item was subjected to a certain compound, the item would change its refractive and reflective properties so it could no longer be seen. The physical properties of the item would not change its weight, shape, physical needs, etc. It only could not be seen. The scientist uses himself as his first experimentation subject but fails to reverse the process. After his friend betrays him, Griffin decided to murder him and begins his own personal “reign of terror”.
The story contains both external and internal conflict. In either case, both the protagonist and the antagonist is Griffin himself as he has made himself his own worst enemy. The external conflicts that Griffin causes are between Griffin and various members of the town as his invisibility is gradually discovered. People react with fear and then with terror as Griffin aggravate the situation by lashing out against people as soon as they figure him out. Griffin ultimately sees Kemp as an enemy although he had at first believed that Kemp would be both sympathetic and cooperative.
The most important conflict is internal as Griffin himself struggles to live with his situation. He rationalizes his crimes rather than making any sane attempt to get people to understand his predicament. He uses force to get people to help him and goes from bad to worse in his attempts to replenish his
Probably Wells’ third most well-known novel, after War of the Worlds and The Time Machine, The Invisible Man is famous more for its protagonist that its story – the bandage-clad figure of Griffin, complete with trench coat, hat and sunglasses, has stuck far better in the public consciousness than Wells’ actual story has. Griffin was a medical student who changed fields to physics. He had been fascinated with the way things refracted and reflected light. He theorized that if an item was subjected to a certain compound, the item would change its refractive and reflective properties so it could no longer be seen. The physical properties of the item would not change its weight, shape, physical needs, etc. It only could not be seen. The scientist uses himself as his first experimentation subject but fails to reverse the process. After his friend betrays him, Griffin decided to murder him and begins his own personal “reign of terror”.
The story contains both external and internal conflict. In either case, both the protagonist and the antagonist is Griffin himself as he has made himself his own worst enemy. The external conflicts that Griffin causes are between Griffin and various members of the town as his invisibility is gradually discovered. People react with fear and then with terror as Griffin aggravate the situation by lashing out against people as soon as they figure him out. Griffin ultimately sees Kemp as an enemy although he had at first believed that Kemp would be both sympathetic and cooperative.
The most important conflict is internal as Griffin himself struggles to live with his situation. He rationalizes his crimes rather than making any sane attempt to get people to understand his predicament. He uses force to get people to help him and goes from bad to worse in his attempts to replenish his