What is HG Wells trying to achieve with his novel The Time Machine Essay Example

pull of a lever. While some of the men are skeptical at first, they eventually come around to believe that he is not joking about his intentions to explore time within a week. However, when the Time Traveler leaves a note for his associates asking them to begin without him, they start to doubt his credibility once again.

The guests entertain themselves by trying to guess why the narrator is missing until their host appears dishevelled, dirty and limping. He changes his clothes and proceeds to recount his eight-day journey that morning using his newly built time machine. The men then gather around to hear the uninterrupted version of the story. During his trip, the Time Traveller initially experiences nausea as he focuses on the sensation of travelling through time.

Upon regaining his ability to speak coherently, the protagonist became more conscious of both his speed and the passage of time in his surroundings. This heightened awareness prompted him to pause abruptly and reflect on what lay ahead, but unfortunately resulted in him being thrown out of the vehicle and onto the grass below.

After examining his new environment, he realized that he had been transported to the year 802701 and was still close to his laboratory. It was then that he met a group called Eloi, who welcomed him into their large dwelling where they shared food and rest with him shortly after their introduction.

During his time in the future, the Time Traveller enjoys a fruit feast with the Eloi and investigates the surrounding region to form assumptions about this new world, although these prove to be flawed. While in the field, he discovers his machine has

vanished without explanation. In days to come, he further explores the area and develops a friendship with an Eloi named Weena, whom he rescues from drowning. As night falls, the Time Traveller usually sleeps outdoors until he encounters the Morlocks, the alternate species living on this planet in 802701.

Descending down a well into the underground dwelling of the Morlocks, the protagonist struggles back to his time machine armed with a metal bar and matches. Although eventually successful in leaving, he mistakenly travels into the future and witnesses the disappearance of the moon, the halt of earth's rotation, and the sun hanging low on the horizon. Fending off a crab-like creature, he continues forward until encountering a world grown cold and dark, highlighted by a terrifying solar eclipse and the final vestiges of life.

Even though the Time Traveller showcased an unfamiliar flower species from Weena, solely the narrator believed his time-traveling journey. Post returning home, the Time Traveller endeavors to authenticate his experience. The next day after the narrator's visit, he hurries to notify the Time Traveller about something crucial but arrives only in time to witness the disappearance of the time machine. H.G. Wells was renowned not just as a novelist but also as a scientist, historian, and sociologist. As an author, he imitated a scientific writing style that comprised minimal emotional expression or dialogue and instead preferred a descriptive approach akin to that of practical experimentation.

The narration includes an example of Wells' writing style: "The fire burned brightly, and the soft radiance of the incandescent lights in the lilies of silver caught the bubbles that flashed and passed in our glasses." This sentence could

have been simple, but Wells added scientific adjectives and extra sentences to make his style distinct. Despite being an unimportant sentence, this quote is long and unnecessary for describing the fireplace and glasses. However, Wells wrote this way to add seriousness to his novel's political and social context. He wanted important leaders to notice his work, not just appreciate its creativity. Wells' interest in unfamiliar topics is evident in his other novels.

H.G. Wells demonstrated a remarkable imagination through his writing of The Invisible Man, A Modern Utopia, The Discovery of the Future, and The Island of Dr. Moreau - topics that were completely unheard of during Victorian England. The time period during which Wells lived, including the industrial revolution and the discovery of germs, sparked his creativity to consider the possibility of other dimensions. Additionally, Wells employed an anonymous third person narrator to make his writing appear more authentic and impersonal in contrast to the typical first-person perspective.

Although the narrator was not physically present during the Time Traveller's journey, the story gives the impression that he was there throughout. However, the narrator only interacted with the Time Traveller at dinner parties, as shown by the scene where the Time Traveller tapped his glass and the Silent Man poured him wine. The Time Traveller himself spoke directly to guests and the Eloi or thought to himself using many hypothetical questions and detailed descriptions, such as describing a building down to its exact detail for an entire page.

While the hail columns diminished, I had a clearer view of the white figure which was quite sizable, as it stood next to a silver birch-tree touching its

shoulder. The figure was constructed from white marble and resembled a winged sphinx. However, unlike a traditional sphinx, its wings were extended horizontally, giving the impression of flight.

"And so it continues. Wells is attempting to generate more interest and curiosity by posing hypothetical questions and using precise descriptions to create a specific image in the reader's mind. He wants to keep the reader's imagination within the boundaries he has set. In general, the use of pseudo-science adds credibility to the story and the objective approach towards future events allows readers to focus on the message rather than the way it is conveyed. This approach minimizes attachment to characters, enabling readers to concentrate on the story and Wells' intended message."

Wells was primarily a political writer, with specific messages to convey about not only his home nation but the entire globe. The Time Machine, one of his earliest works, was initially labeled a 'scientific romance' rather than traditional science fiction. Interestingly, Ronald Wright's modern book A Scientific Romance explores the consequences of the time machine's return to London. After experiencing World War I, Wells authored additional non-fiction texts and doubtlessly conveyed his belief that war was misguided: "The professional military mind is by necessity an inferior and unimaginative mind; no man of high intellectual quality would willingly imprison his gifts in such calling."

H.G. Wells' 1920 book, The Outline of History, shared a gloomy outlook on humanity's future, echoing the theme from his novel The Time Machine. He aimed to draw attention to the perilous consequences that human actions could bring about. His oft-quoted statement proclaimed that "Human history becomes more and more a race between

education and catastrophe." In response to these concerns, Wells became a member of London's Fabian Society – an intellectual movement committed to researching, debating and publishing socialist ideas with the ultimate goal of gradually achieving social reform through persuasion and influencing powerful circles. Their objective was to establish democratic socialism throughout London.

After being a member of the group for a few years, Wells had a falling out with the party leaders and left. This sheds light on his political views, aiding readers in comprehending the remarks and themes he presented in Time Machine. Some have alleged Wells was a supporter of communism, which could account for his anti-capitalist ideology and disdain for class hierarchies. In fact, Wells engaged in cordial discussions with Lenin and Stalin following the Russian Revolution to promote this concept. The Time Machine's central political message is that capitalism is hazardous and detrimental to laborers, as portrayed through the Eloi who represent lethargic upper-class individuals from 19th century London, and the Morlocks who depict working-class individuals. Wells posits that individuals must suffer for others to achieve affluence and dominance – a reality that is exemplified in contemporary society by multinational sports brands like "Nike" or "Adidas" that earn billions while impoverishing those who work on their products in underdeveloped regions.

The main idea of the story was that at some point in the future, humankind will experience a regression instead of continuous development and advancement as previously believed. This concept was introduced by Wells as a warning against war which could lead to the emergence of two basic and uncivilized groups as the only remaining population on earth. The author hoped to illustrate

through his work that an overly comfortable existence could result in individuals becoming akin to the complacent Eloi, while the Morlocks were portrayed as evidence of class struggle resulting from uncontrolled capitalism. It is important to note that these changes would occur over extended periods and Wells endeavored to caution his audience about the possibility of disastrous events if preventative actions were not taken in a timely manner.

Overall, H.G. Wells' Time Machine has achieved great success, being adapted into two movies and inspiring various attempts at continuing the story. Its purpose was not only to entertain with an engaging storyline but also to express perspectives on capitalism and evolution.

Despite Wells' use of technical and unemotional language, the success of the book was not compromised. The book raises key questions surrounding the dangers of capitalism, potential solutions through communism, the potential dissipation of progress, and the plausibility of complex theories such as time travel. It has sparked contemplation among scholars and fueled the creation of numerous works delving into these ideas, such as Back to the Future and other books about communism and capitalism.

H.G. Wells' remarkable imagination and intriguing political perspectives have inspired the creation of written works and films based on animal evolution, such as "Animal Farm" and "Planet of the Apes."