A main convention that has been used by a lot of science fiction writers is extraterrestrial life. HG Wells has seemed to set the standards for aliens for many other novels, an example of the characteristics that have been passed down is; the grotesque image portrayed “the two large dark-coloured eyes, lank tentacular appendage” His image of the aliens may originate from his biology orientated past, this could also show what HG Wells thinks as the next step in evolution. These characteristics have been found in a large number of alien images; especially the large dark eyes. Another piece of science fiction that shows this image of aliens is the movie independence day, the large eyes and tentacles have been used in so many books, films and even television series this is a firm piece of evidence indicating that HG Wells could be referred to as the “father of science fiction”
The horror's of war is a large convention in HG Wells’s books, in war of the worlds this convention seems to be found a lot in his book; it also shows some insight to what he thinks as human beings as a whole. In the book when the Martians emerge and begin to kill, the human race seems to abandon social customs and decide to flee at any dispense, in the book it shows that many people where crushed under the feet of the crowd. Also in the absence of government the citizens revert to more primitive instincts and loot shops for food, also when the curate and the narrator are blockaded in together the narrator became territorial and became the dominant person, he constantly had to defend the resources from the curator “I planted myself between him and the food” this is a prime example that when resources are in short supply even the most respectable of people can, and will result to the most basic instincts.
The aggression of the curate and his constant mental instability thickens the amount of the tension in the atmosphere “the threatened he would shout and bring the Martian’s upon us” this type of tension has also been passed down in films as the chance of being discovered by the threat that is pursuing you if by far the most effective way of creating tension. Once again these techniques that been passed along making Well’s more like the “Father” that people claim him to be.
Despite all these things nothing comes across more than the theme of that as humans in modern age we rely far to heavily of the police and military presence, if the military fails then we as a race are little more that lambs to the slaughter.
This feeling of being absolutely helpless is by far the greatest fear shared by all humans, this is why we arm our selves with countless high developed weaponry to say “Don’t mess with us or we’ll wipe you clean from the earth” what keeps us safe is the presence of power, remove this and you get a instant panic frenzy, Wells easily observed this from us as human being and embedded it into his work.
Religion plays a part in the War of the Worlds by a considerate amount, I think that Wells interprets that religion will be ,so to speak, “our last line of defence” when all else fails people will almost always begin to turn to some form of god or “greater existence”.
“A torrent of half sane and always frothy repentance for his vacant sham of God’s service” this is what the curate degenerated into when all hope was seen to be lost, this may imply that Wells thinks religion will be for those who have lost hope in their own ability to control the situation and take comfort in that there is once again “Power” to the people as surely God would not let his creations perish in such a manner. I have seen another example of this in Steven Kings “The Mist” a perfect example were a person of strong religious beliefs intends to sacrifice a girl in order to repent for the sins of humanity.
However out of all these conventions that have passed down through other texts and media sources none can compare how realistic Wells made his books feel.
By reading the texts it seemed that Wells’s scientific background helped beyond measure as he understood the environment he lived in so well he was able to interpret what people would most likely do. This injection of real life themes and scenarios i.e. the global cooling of Mars, evolution, life on other planets really relates to the reader and enables him/her to engage with the text to a point were it gets you thinking this really could happen.
These ideas are what make HG Wells the Father of Science Fiction, although they may have been altered along time, you can find many examples of this blue prints for “the science fiction plot” in many modern day science fiction films, although Wells is long gone the impact of his work will leave a influence in many more films and books to come. Ultimately HG Wells is the true Father of Science Fiction.
