“The War of the Worlds” Paper Essay Example

sense of anticipation and intrigue. The chapter begins with brief paragraphs featuring lengthy sentences. However, he devotes six paragraphs to detailing the events of the 11th through 15th day, heightening tension and fostering speculation. The structure contributes to empathy for the narrator. On the 15th day, the narrator's desperation escalates when he spots a dog, attempting to lure it towards him so that he can "kill and eat him."

This chapter portrays the intense desperation felt by the protagonist. He resorts to drinking water that resembles nuclear waste and even contemplates killing and eating a dog. The narrative creates a sense of impending death for the protagonist. The most tense moment in the book occurs as he hides in a river from the Martians and describes his escape from them. The fear and tension present is palpable and expressed through the physical agony experienced by the narrator, as described as "painfully" and "rapidly getting hotter". The sense of uncertainty caused by the Martians adds to the atmosphere of anxiety and fear.

"I saw them dimly" implies that the Martians were hidden, causing confusion and disbelief among readers who must continue reading to find out what's happening. The fear and tension eventually give way to relief as the narrator escapes, as he slowly realizes after the fact, "by a miracle I had escaped". HG Wells appeals to readers' senses, describing the narrator's physical pain, "breast high in almost boiling water", prompting a vivid image of being scalded. However, the atmosphere builds more tension as the narrator suffers, "scalded, half blinded, agonised I staggered". The tension reaches its peak when the narrator thinks he will die, "I expected nothing

but death", followed by his realization that he miraculously survived. The atmosphere shifts from tension to relief and joy at surviving the Martians.

Throughout the text, there is a recurring theme where humans are compared to ants or other insect-like creatures when under attack from the Martians. The chaos caused by the Martians leads to the scattering of people, who are likened to "Ants" by Wells. The comparison to ants may seem tenuous, but it makes sense. Just as a person can unintentionally cause chaos by stepping on a group of ants in a park, the Martians wreak havoc and cause insignificant chaos as they attack.

In his book, Wells portrays the Martians as ruthless attackers who destroy countless lives without hesitation. This highlights the insignificance of humans in comparison and supports Wells' belief in survival of the fittest. Despite being at the top of the food chain, he suggests that humans are arrogant and naive. The introduction of a new species almost wiping out a race that has survived for millions of years on Earth emphasizes this point further. Through various atmospheres, with an emphasis on tension and fear, Wells effectively conveys the ferocity of the Martians and engages readers.

HG Wells creates an atmosphere of relief and safety after the defeat of the Martians, providing comfort by indicating their inability to cause further harm. These contrasting feelings can impact 19th century society both positively and negatively, by highlighting the potential hazards of a Martian invasion while also causing anxiety and tension. However, nowadays the story of War of the Worlds likely fails to evoke such intense fear as people understand space travel and have

sent astronauts on missions to explore its possibilities. Although, back in the 19th century, people lacked knowledge about space and grasped only fictional tales. In my opinion, H.G Wells' work still remains an important piece of literature regardless of reduced fears from martians for today's society.

Despite the possibility of being mocked as a humorous literary piece today, G. Wells was an exceptional writer during his era. This particular work may have been perceived as just another science fiction tale, but it held immense importance in light of the pressing events and situations of its time. As World War I approached and weapon development escalated, this writing had the power to bring about significant change.

Forever, always, eternally.