HG Wells 'Vivisection Of Animals' By H. G. Wells

Jane Laskowski

Response Paper 3 T 390

February 20, 2013

In H.G. Wells’s science fiction novel, The Island of Doctor Moreau Wells devised the terms of genetic engineering and human cloning. The book invites readers to see how H.G. Wells presented a debate on how the world in science was overtaken by Dr.Moreau becoming like a God, and blurring the difference between man and animal. The evil Doctor Moreau produces, through a process of “vivisection” infusing two animals together to form one that is supposed to be perfect. Rather than these perfect creatures he is aiming at, deformed creatures that are to act like humans and obey him. These freaky creatures were created in such a way that they appeared frightening especially
Moreau causes misery is debated by Prendick and Moreau emphasizing that Monreau completes the vivisections while the animals are conscious letting the reader read this a horror scene as the screams of animals were described in the novel. Moreau does this work in such a revealing way showing how indifferent he is to the suffering he is causing to the animals. Wells write how Prendick felt about the realization of Moreau’s experimentation with the animals, saying, “I had not thought before of the pain and trouble that came to these poor victims after they had passed from Moreau’s hands. I had shivered only at the days of factual torment in the enclosure ” (95). Prendick was inviting the reader to consider the morality issue that is especially relevant, which shows Dr.Moreaus’ doing experiments on defenseless animals with his cruel
Yet, they become more like animal than humans on the island later fighting and killing each other. Prendick must realize that their basic nature as animals has nothing to do with the form they were made into, but only emphasis their instincts. Prendick initially believes they are human but unintelligent. Later, he realizes that the difference is that many of the animals are victims of Moreau’s mad scientific experiments and that they must follow his “laws”. In the scene as Moreau speaks to the beast men as if he is God, Prendick narrates, “When I saw their wincing attitudes and furtive dread in their bright eyes, I wondered that I had ever believed them to be men in a fear that never died, fretted by a law they could not understand” (95). These statements illustrate the main differences between animals and humans- that animals are incapable of understanding. Human beings have reasoning and intelligence and the ability to assess their own actions and understand their world. In contrast, animals do not have this understanding and have no choice but to try to live as the world says they should. This gives human the ability to determine reality for animals, just Dr. Moreau does not do. By showing Moreau taking advantage of this ability, there is a message about the responsibility that goes alone with power and how humans should act towards