The Theme Of Community In The Invisible Man
Similar to to the theme of community, another ongoing theme portrayed in The Invisible Man, is the theme of science and power. This is not a difficult theme to spot, as the entire book revolves around a science experiment and even the main character is a scientist. The author wants us to see the how knowledge gives one power. The power of knowledge takes on various roles in The Invisible Man. First we see Griffin’s “unclouded[…]magnificent vision of all that invisibility might mean to a man the mystery, the power, the freedom. Drawbacks [he] saw none”(103). Griffin is blinded by the many advantages of becoming invisible. He talks about “the mystery, the power, [and] the freedom”(103) and how they go hand in hand. This shows how having the knowledge
on something that is a mystery to everyone else gives you the freedom to do whatever you want to do with it. In this case Griffin thinks he will be able to become famous for his discovery of invisibility. The problem here lies in how he is acting before thinking. He “realized what a helpless absurdity an invisible man was in a cold and dirty climate and a crowded civilized city”(134). He finds out that the being invisible had many more disadvantages instead of the “thousand advantages” he had dreamt of. This shows how acting on something before thinking of the possible outcomes will leave you powerless. Griffin didn't realize how wearing clothes or eating would make his invisibility useless. Nor did he think that his feet would get dirty and become visible. He feels like he “had become a wrapped-up mystery, a swathed and bandaged caricature of a man”(134). The interesting part here is that before he thinks having knowledge that is a mystery to others gives him power, but once he becomes the mystery he cannot use his power.The author shows how power is useless, if one can’t properly utilize it. I think this backfire caused Griffin to start acting violent, and start hurting people for the “mere satisfaction of hurting”(63). He wanted to establish his “Reign of Terror”(138), he wanted to take a “town like[...] Burdock and terrify and dominate it”(138) using his power. The story shows how knowledge is power, how with knowledge anything is possible. However, this power can corrupt.
on something that is a mystery to everyone else gives you the freedom to do whatever you want to do with it. In this case Griffin thinks he will be able to become famous for his discovery of invisibility. The problem here lies in how he is acting before thinking. He “realized what a helpless absurdity an invisible man was in a cold and dirty climate and a crowded civilized city”(134). He finds out that the being invisible had many more disadvantages instead of the “thousand advantages” he had dreamt of. This shows how acting on something before thinking of the possible outcomes will leave you powerless. Griffin didn't realize how wearing clothes or eating would make his invisibility useless. Nor did he think that his feet would get dirty and become visible. He feels like he “had become a wrapped-up mystery, a swathed and bandaged caricature of a man”(134). The interesting part here is that before he thinks having knowledge that is a mystery to others gives him power, but once he becomes the mystery he cannot use his power.The author shows how power is useless, if one can’t properly utilize it. I think this backfire caused Griffin to start acting violent, and start hurting people for the “mere satisfaction of hurting”(63). He wanted to establish his “Reign of Terror”(138), he wanted to take a “town like[...] Burdock and terrify and dominate it”(138) using his power. The story shows how knowledge is power, how with knowledge anything is possible. However, this power can corrupt.