Analytical Essay: The Invisible Man By H. G. Wells
American Military Academy
American Literature 11-1
Prof. Minerva I. Méndez
Analytical Essay
The Invisible Man
Rolando Irizarry #10
October 1, 2012
In The Invisible Man, H.G. Wells both demonstrates and criticizes Man’s tendency to become moral or immoral with the acquirement of power. Like many books of the same era, he uses science as the instrument of retribution for the social crimes that have been committed. Through invisibility, the Invisible Man gains triumph over science and from this, great power; he can steal, kill, and abuse anybody without fear of being caught, as he describes, "It’s useful in getting away, it’s useful in approaching. It’s particularly useful, therefore, in killing." He also acknowledges the shortcomings …show more content…
of his invisibility, such as making sound and being easily imprisoned once caught, vulnerable qualities which eventually lead to his downfall. The Invisible Man breaks into many people’s homes, stealing money, and leading eventually to physical abuse and killing. As an invisible man he could steal, as much he wanted; He is chased by dogs, hunted down in a department store, nearly run over in the streets, and constantly subjected to the discomfort of exposure and he gets lots of head colds. He is a man caught in a trap of his own making. When faced with power, such as invisibility, man becomes immoral and is willing to do anything for personal gain and enjoyment. The Invisible Man’s nemesis, Kemp, brings up the immorality by saying, "But-! I say! The common conventions of humanity." The Invisible Man just reinforces his arrogance by rebutting with, “Are all very well for common people.” He believes there is nothing wrong with doing anything for his own survival since he is superior. He also brings the situation one step further with his reign of terror, which he describes as, “Not wanton killing, but a judicious slaying.” He now wants to have complete control over everybody through terror and wants to start “the Epoch of the Invisible Man.” This shows his complete thirst for power. The use of science to give man superpower can likewise be found in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Man should not create the invisible man or the invincible man since they are too powerful and this gives them the role of creator, which, according to the society of the day, should only be a god’s role. He shows how science can accomplish great things and also how it can cause great harm. The harm that the Invisible Man’s exploitation of power causes does not go unpunished. Wells demonstrates the social need for a sense of justice, as the Invisible Man is eventually captured and beaten to death for the terror he both created and wanted to create. If the Invisible Man had stayed sane and went without punishment then people would have believe that terrible actions might be worth doing. His death also signifies the end of the immoral science that is too powerful for man.
In The Invisible Man H.G Wells shows us that the ability of invisibility should not be given not just to any person because when many people come in contact with that great power they become greedy wanting more and more every time.
H.G Wells gives us the image: men, which are immoral or even if they are moral, when given the acquirement of great power they begin to undergo a change in their emotions. The main conflict that involves the novel is that society is somewhat ignorant in parts of which they would try to not create something such immoral as an invisible person to create destruction for the world. Man should not create the invisible man or the invincible man since they are too powerful and this gives them the role of creator. Man has always tried to duplicate the role of a god, but we all know that we were made to look like god and to worship our god. Man should always follow his role that god sent him to do. This creation of the invisible man was just an excuse for someone that was an outcast and went looking for an opportunity to show the world what he was capable to do. When someone goes mad with the acquirement of power, destroys his emotions completely just to achieve this need to overcome his rejection from other people. Griffin shows us the face of a frustrated chemist and researcher in the attempt to achieve that greatness in power and to duplicate the role of creator, which should only be given to
god.
H.G.Wells brings up many points that are important in a society. He discusses the moral problems of mankind and its reaction to the power science can bring. He criticizes man’s hunger for power and science by showing what havoc it can wreak. In the Epilogue he shows how man thinks of himself as moral but cannot make constructive use of the power at his hands. The person finally in possession of the Invisible Man’s journals says, "I wouldn’t do what he did; I’d just—well!" Wells is saying that we really do not know what to do with the power so we should not bother with it at all. I felt that H.G. Wells did a great job in creating this somewhat entertaining and believable novel. The book gave me some insight on the advantages of being invisible along with its harsher disadvantages.
The Invisible Man can get almost any object he desires but he cannot enjoy them. He also has the problem of always getting run into and trampled upon since he cannot be seen. The novel also showed me what a man who has been an outcast all his life and who was partly responsible for the death of his father is capable of doing and thinking. Those bad times probably were the cause of his insanity, which led into his desire to become invisible and cause terror. The part in the book that most impressed me is where the invisible man himself is hunted. All the aspects of the book are successful. I would advise others to read the book, because they would have an amusing time.
Bibliography
H.G. Wells. “The Invisible Man” Airmont Publishing Company 1964 http://www.online-literature.com/wellshg/invisible/ http://www.bookrags.com/The_Invisible_Man/ http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/monkeynote/pmInvisibleWellsSample.pdf http://www.shmoop.com/invisible-man-wells/narrator-point-of-view.html http://www.shmoop.com/invisible-man-wells/literary-devices.html http://www.123helpme.com/character-analysis-of-the-invisible-man-by-hg-wells--view.asp?id=161675
http://www.teenink.com/nonfiction/academic/article/434794/Literary-Analysis-of-HG-Wellss-The-Invisible-Man/
American Literature 11-1
Prof. Minerva I. Méndez
Analytical Essay
The Invisible Man
Rolando Irizarry #10
October 1, 2012
In The Invisible Man, H.G. Wells both demonstrates and criticizes Man’s tendency to become moral or immoral with the acquirement of power. Like many books of the same era, he uses science as the instrument of retribution for the social crimes that have been committed. Through invisibility, the Invisible Man gains triumph over science and from this, great power; he can steal, kill, and abuse anybody without fear of being caught, as he describes, "It’s useful in getting away, it’s useful in approaching. It’s particularly useful, therefore, in killing." He also acknowledges the shortcomings …show more content…
of his invisibility, such as making sound and being easily imprisoned once caught, vulnerable qualities which eventually lead to his downfall. The Invisible Man breaks into many people’s homes, stealing money, and leading eventually to physical abuse and killing. As an invisible man he could steal, as much he wanted; He is chased by dogs, hunted down in a department store, nearly run over in the streets, and constantly subjected to the discomfort of exposure and he gets lots of head colds. He is a man caught in a trap of his own making. When faced with power, such as invisibility, man becomes immoral and is willing to do anything for personal gain and enjoyment. The Invisible Man’s nemesis, Kemp, brings up the immorality by saying, "But-! I say! The common conventions of humanity." The Invisible Man just reinforces his arrogance by rebutting with, “Are all very well for common people.” He believes there is nothing wrong with doing anything for his own survival since he is superior. He also brings the situation one step further with his reign of terror, which he describes as, “Not wanton killing, but a judicious slaying.” He now wants to have complete control over everybody through terror and wants to start “the Epoch of the Invisible Man.” This shows his complete thirst for power. The use of science to give man superpower can likewise be found in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Man should not create the invisible man or the invincible man since they are too powerful and this gives them the role of creator, which, according to the society of the day, should only be a god’s role. He shows how science can accomplish great things and also how it can cause great harm. The harm that the Invisible Man’s exploitation of power causes does not go unpunished. Wells demonstrates the social need for a sense of justice, as the Invisible Man is eventually captured and beaten to death for the terror he both created and wanted to create. If the Invisible Man had stayed sane and went without punishment then people would have believe that terrible actions might be worth doing. His death also signifies the end of the immoral science that is too powerful for man.
In The Invisible Man H.G Wells shows us that the ability of invisibility should not be given not just to any person because when many people come in contact with that great power they become greedy wanting more and more every time.
H.G Wells gives us the image: men, which are immoral or even if they are moral, when given the acquirement of great power they begin to undergo a change in their emotions. The main conflict that involves the novel is that society is somewhat ignorant in parts of which they would try to not create something such immoral as an invisible person to create destruction for the world. Man should not create the invisible man or the invincible man since they are too powerful and this gives them the role of creator. Man has always tried to duplicate the role of a god, but we all know that we were made to look like god and to worship our god. Man should always follow his role that god sent him to do. This creation of the invisible man was just an excuse for someone that was an outcast and went looking for an opportunity to show the world what he was capable to do. When someone goes mad with the acquirement of power, destroys his emotions completely just to achieve this need to overcome his rejection from other people. Griffin shows us the face of a frustrated chemist and researcher in the attempt to achieve that greatness in power and to duplicate the role of creator, which should only be given to
god.
H.G.Wells brings up many points that are important in a society. He discusses the moral problems of mankind and its reaction to the power science can bring. He criticizes man’s hunger for power and science by showing what havoc it can wreak. In the Epilogue he shows how man thinks of himself as moral but cannot make constructive use of the power at his hands. The person finally in possession of the Invisible Man’s journals says, "I wouldn’t do what he did; I’d just—well!" Wells is saying that we really do not know what to do with the power so we should not bother with it at all. I felt that H.G. Wells did a great job in creating this somewhat entertaining and believable novel. The book gave me some insight on the advantages of being invisible along with its harsher disadvantages.
The Invisible Man can get almost any object he desires but he cannot enjoy them. He also has the problem of always getting run into and trampled upon since he cannot be seen. The novel also showed me what a man who has been an outcast all his life and who was partly responsible for the death of his father is capable of doing and thinking. Those bad times probably were the cause of his insanity, which led into his desire to become invisible and cause terror. The part in the book that most impressed me is where the invisible man himself is hunted. All the aspects of the book are successful. I would advise others to read the book, because they would have an amusing time.
Bibliography
H.G. Wells. “The Invisible Man” Airmont Publishing Company 1964 http://www.online-literature.com/wellshg/invisible/ http://www.bookrags.com/The_Invisible_Man/ http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/monkeynote/pmInvisibleWellsSample.pdf http://www.shmoop.com/invisible-man-wells/narrator-point-of-view.html http://www.shmoop.com/invisible-man-wells/literary-devices.html http://www.123helpme.com/character-analysis-of-the-invisible-man-by-hg-wells--view.asp?id=161675
http://www.teenink.com/nonfiction/academic/article/434794/Literary-Analysis-of-HG-Wellss-The-Invisible-Man/