James day The time traveller 24/01/06

Eventually, after seeing a strange ‘dull white’ creature disappear down what looked like a well, the time traveller comes upon the conclusion that man had evolved into two separate species: one graceful and beautiful species that lived on the surface (the Eloi), and one furred ape-like subterranean species that lived in the dark depths under the earth. The time traveller’s theory for this is interesting, starting off with ‘proceeding from the problems of our own age’. Here, he is making the connection between the ‘capitalist and the labourer’ of his own time, to the Eloi and the Morlocks. Showing how the small gap between them in his own age, could grow to the extremities of this future! Over time, to make London increasingly more pleasant for the rich, factories had eventually moved underground, (like the subway, etc) and the poorer workers had to move down with them. The rich, however, could afford to live on the surface and pursue pleasure, while the workers had to slave below to earn money to live, which mostly went for rent and ventilation (a money trap, they were stuck down there!). Eventually, the workers would become adapted to their dark environment through natural selection, with only the strong surviving to pass on their genes. This is H.G. Wells applying Darwin’s theory of evolution in a science fiction format, to make his story seem plausible, basically factual information is used as a support for the fiction in this book. Also, because Charles Darwin was quite famous for his ideas on natural selection at the time, he would have been a big influence for H.G.Wells. In addition, as evolution takes place over thousands of years, it would be perfect for the science fiction genre, as going into the future (a few thousand years, though) would give sufficient time for evolution to have a visible effect . diverge in species could be a warning from H.G.Wells, showing how different people may grow so far apart as to conquer over each other, instead of working in cooperation to better mankind. How mankind may have lost sight of its moral values for the difference in itself, between wealth and poverty, race and power.

It’s necessary for the time traveller to venture down into the underground dwelling of the subterranean species (morlocks) because he feels ‘assured’ that this is where his time machine has been taken. In addition, it adds suspense to a rather dull first part of the book, enticing the reader through the sheer thrill of the ‘unknown’ danger. When down in the underground lair of the Morlocks, the time traveller notices a ‘red joint’ of a ‘large animal, which is a key moment in the book. This is because it establishes that the morlocks are carnivorous. More importantly though, the audience will have already realised that the joint comes from the Eloi, as there are no signs of sick or dying Eloi, or any such place as where the body’s are disposed off. This gives the audience a chance to get ahead of the time traveller, and visualize their own idea of further into the story. The realisation of how the time traveller has very few matches left, alone in this dark, menacing world makes this exploration scary by playing on the universal fear of the dark. With the added descriptions of the ‘plucking at my clothing’ and grasping hands of the morlocks, getting bolder and more aggressive, this becomes a very disturbing scene easy to visualise. This is the writer’s craft coming into effect, with the classic first real ‘encounter’ with the ‘evil’ morlocks being a distressing and horrific experience, made to chill the audience to the bone and ‘put’ them in the time travellers situation.

 Also, it opens up a new perspective of this era, and provides the malignant enemy typical to the science fiction genre. The description, especially ‘you can scarce imagine how nauseatingly inhuman they looked’ makes for a vivid minds eye of just how terrifying they must look, especially with their unsettling intentions described! Suspense is even created at the end of this chapter, as the time traveller is attempting to climb back up to the surface, but is being groped at from behind by the relentless morlocks. Eventually, the time traveller manages to climb up the shaft freely. This is when the ‘escape’ is finished off in classic science fiction style, with the last, desperate grasp from a persistent Morlock, giving the audience a last jolt of shock after they’ve ‘relaxed back into their seats’!

The time traveller, after thought, comes to a second conclusion, that although in the past the upper world was initially in control; evolution has changed this balance of power. The Eloi had ‘decayed to a mere beautiful futility’, while the Morlocks had developed an aversion to light, but made clothes for the Eloi through the ‘service of an old habit’, a bit like the way a dog turns before sleeping! The time traveller says ‘ now brother was coming back – changed’, referring to how the Morlocks, when human, had been thrust out of the sun and ease only to return now, changed and supreme, with a new power and control in a twist of fate. The time traveller then goes on to say how he ‘came out of this age of ours’. The special thing about this is that he doesn’t belong to this age, he came from a different time, a different era when ‘fear does not paralyse’, and mystery has ‘lost its terrors’. The time traveller indicates that he can defend himself because he’s more intelligent and experienced, from a more advanced age. Although this new world is more advanced, through time (thousands of years). The next day, the time traveller comes to yet another conclusion that sometime ago; the Morlocks must have run out of food and had begun to eat their own brethren, the Eloi. The intelligence that would have made this ‘a torment’ had now gone, and these future races were far less human than the cannibals of long ago. The time traveller now saw the relationship between the Morlocks and the Eloi the same as a farmer and his livestock. The Eloi were ‘mere fatted cattle’ to the morlocks, who most certainly saw to the preservation, and probably breeding of them!! Although the time traveller tries to see this as fair, as man had literally enslaved the other for selfish reasons, and now it was time for the revenge that had been awaited for so long. The time traveller finds this view impossible though, because the eloi had ‘too much of their human form’ not to claim his sympathy. The time traveller seems to have resolved to bring Weena back to his own time to try and beat the system, change the future and fate to which she was so cruelly destined to. He also seems to have developed a strong friendship with her as well, but he could want to take her back as proof of his travels also, as evidence to his master of time that could not be overlooked. Chapter 11 adds an interest to the story, with an ancient museum that has things of immense value and interest scattered about i.e. ‘lower part of a huge skeleton’ and ‘in the thick dust’. Things that would normally be guarded, just lying around, dilapidated. This museum also gives a chance for the time traveller to find more matches/weapons and a flammable substance, for good use later against the morlocks! Lastly, the museum gives an impending sense of the Morlocks presence, as in a dark part of the museum, the time traveller hears ‘a peculiar pattering’ and ‘the same odd noises I had heard down the well’. This builds suspense for the oncoming approach of night, and the numerousness of these disturbing Morlock. In chapter 12, the big fight is portrayed. Everything seems fine, as the time traveller has a huge fire to dissuade the morlocks, but he falls asleep, and the morlock are soon able to get to him when the fire goes out!! The time traveller becomes cornered by the Morlock, swinging in a last struggle with a pipe as Weena is carried off. The only thing that saves him is a fire he lit earlier, which has now spread rapidly in his direction. The time traveller finds a safe clearing, and is racked with emotion through the sheer hell of the night’s events, and the loss of Weena. The next day, the time traveller takes refuge in the fact that Weena, had at least been spared the ‘awful fate to which she seemed destined’, as she hadn’t been taken to feed the Morlock. Although the time traveller had hid match box taken by the morlock, he finds a few left in his pocket.

H.G.Wells makes the time travellers escape from the Morlocks exciting by, making him over-confident, only to find himself in trouble when he fails to remember something vital to his plan. It’s this panic as the time traveller finds himself at the mercy of the Morlocks, dashing his previous sense of security and calm, which is exciting. The time traveller is confident of how to escape, as he has for once understood what the Morlocks plan to do, lure him with his time machine and trap him in the dark! He’s too confident because he’s so close to escaping and has become convinced that he can outsmart the Morlocks, almost like someone who thinks they’re invincible. The escape is made suspenseful by the fact that the time traveller is very brash, and doesn’t think to check the aspects of his plan, especially the most important part- light! Transfixed by how close he is to being able to go home, and euphoria from the fact that he’s survived and beaten the Morlocks, he just walks through the pedestal door, up to his machine. This makes way for the last sudden terror, as his plan for an easy escape dissipates, finding that the matches he has left are ‘of the abominable kind’ that only light on the box. Instantly his calm and ego vanish as he fights for the last time against the Morlocks. It’s suspenseful because of the instant change from pure calm and relief, to adrenalin as he acts spontaneously to hastily gain control of his machine and escape back into his journeying through time. Also, the dawning realisation of the desperation of his situation gets the audience on the edge of their seat, truly a classic move.