Invisible Man – Character introduction of Griffin

  One way the reader could find the character very mysterious is that his name is not revealed until the 17th chapter! These as well as the concealment makes the invisible man, Griffin, seem very phantom like.  This also builds suspense up through the story until quite late on were it becomes dynamic and alive. The mystery of the man even gets on Mrs Halls nerve, whom at first wants to help him. At the beginning he seemed to be very quiet and secretive and wanted to be kept alone although he started talking. He acted normal but always implied that he wanted to be kept alone and undisturbed. This very intelligent and curious man is self-centred and will do anything, which will favour his further experiments. This eventually leads to malicious mad behaviour. His first sign of this is when he burgles the vicarage. This shows the theme of a “power corrupt” man and a once sensible scientist is engulfed by the power he feels when unseen, and this over abuse of power eventually leads into insanity. This insanity makes him go on a rage of terror startling everyone he comes in contact with. From this quiet man at the character develops into a mad man seeking happiness in wrecking things due to the insanity caused by his megalomaniac mentality. His hidden character at the start is a very good idea by H.G Wells and deciding to make him invisible at the start is a very clever idea, as it bring more mystery to the man.  It also makes the reader want to carry on reading, to find out what the man looks like and what he is like. He reveals Griffins main features later. Griffins develops slowly through the story.

  He firstly starts of calm and relaxed, but very secretive but then starts to get paranoid and angry with everyone thinking they want to find him out. This is shown in the book by exclamation marks wherever he speaks. His final stage is madness where he goes on a reign of horror, terrorising. That is what the whole book is mainly about a mad scientist who cannot control his experiment!