Human Nature And Culture In The Time Machine

H.G. Wells’ representation of the future of human nature and culture in The Time Machine is based on an understanding of natural selection. The time traveler’s conclusion on humanity is that in the future humans, including their physical, mental, and social/economic structure will have all degenerate. This is demonstrated in the book through the characteristics of the Eolis, and Morlocks, and their society, this is connected with Darwin’s natural selection because the characteristics of the Eolis and Morlocks are selected traits that have helped them to adapt and therefore survive the future, and also their society is a consequence of their conditions and adaptation.
Darwin’s theory of natural selection is displayed through the characteristics
The Eloi’s represent a type of race that have not had to deal with challenges and hardship, thus have turned into childlike, naïve species, this is evident when the time traveler says “They would come to me with eager cries of astonishment, like children, but like children, they would soon stop examining me, and wander away after some other toy.” (23), this displays that the creatures are not mature, or clever enough to keep their undivided attention on something, and it displays a sense of their innocence. When the time traveler thinks about what civilization has turned into he is very disappointed, he thought the future would include a race of greater intelligence, and culture, he says the people “…would be incredibly in front of us in knowledge, art, everything.” (21). But, instead are opposite to his expectations. H.G Wells demonstrates that he believes that in order for humanity to keep their qualities they must endure struggles, and continue to attempt in improving life(work), which is
He understands the future human’s working class as a “social difference between the Capalist and the Labourer, “ (41). Meaning there’s a group of people who own the production, and the other group are the workers, and producers, in this case the Elois would be the capitalist whereas the Morlocks are the workers. Moreover, he uses the understanding of underground subways, and railways, as an influence of creating and underground factory (41). He thinks that the relationship between the two species like similar to the relationship or interaction between the rich and the poor, where the poor are shamed upon and neglected, but the workers adapt to their condition of treatment and labour (41), and thus their environment had shaped the lives and attributes of the creatures. He says as for the Elois “The too-perfect security of the upper-worlders had led them to a slow movement of degeneration…” (42) , and for the Morlocks “…that the modification of the human type was even more profound…”(42). Thus his understanding of his own era, and the way in which society and humans were structured influence and shape the way in which he thinks about the human race in the