The Time Machine

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Summary: One of the greatest novels in the English language
Review: H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" is one of the most respected pieces of Victorian science fiction, and deservedly so. It is at once a great novel of adventure and imagination, a social tract predicting class warfare, and a touching story of humanity and the connections humans make in desperate times.

Everyone knows the plot. The man simply called the "Time Traveler" relates to the unnamed narrator his adventures in the year A.D. 802,712, and the two species of small humanoids who reside there: the Eloi and the Morlocks.

The Eloi live an idyllic existence of leisure. Their intelligence is limited, they aren't particularly strong, nor altruistic, as the Traveler learns when one of the Eloi, Weena, is on the verge of drowning. Appalled at the apparent indifference, the Traveler rescues her, and makes a close friend.

The Morlocks live below ground. Evidently, they keep the engines that run this future moving. They also tend to the Eloi, providing them with the basics. But it soon becomes clear that the Morlocks are the true masters, for the Eloi fear the dark, fear the openings to the Morlocks' domain. For the Morlocks feed on the Eloi. And, as the Traveler soon discovers, the Morlocks have stolen his time machine.

To appreciate exactly what Wells was trying to do with this future society, it helps to know that Wells was a socialist, and believed that the upper classes take their soft existence from the toil of the lower classes. The end result is the Eloi. Wells is clearly issuing a combination warning/manifesto-eat the rich; their laziness will be their downfall. However, Wells acknowledges that class war is a double-edged sword. The Morlocks are the lower class in a state of revolt. But they are a degraded, filthy lot who are content to continue their miserable existence for brief moments of revenge. And so, for both species, the benefits of their arrangement are outweighed by the price.

Those who have seen the George Pal film will probably be surprised by this dynamic, as in the film (made in the 1950s, the Cold War in full swing), the relationship overtly remains, but the underlying cause has more to do with the events of a third world war, and Pavlovian reflex to basically duck and cover.

But, "The Time Machine" is still also a straightforward adventure novel, abundant with excitement and action. Particularly exciting are the Traveler and Weena's desperate escapes from the Morlocks in the night. Indeed, the Morlocks represent some of the most threatening creatures in literature. Well's descriptions of the Traveler's wanderings in the Morlock's underground are among the creepiest moments I have ever read, as the Traveler is watched by red eyes and the dark, is mocked by hisses and laughter from unseen mouths, and is touched and prodded by furry, spider-like hands.

Wells also creates some very tender moments between the Traveler and Weena. Those who have seen the George Pal movie will not doubt expect a love story, which is not the case. Really, the relationship between the two under Wells' pen is a complicated paternal one. Weena adores the Traveler as her savior. The Traveler clearly views Weena as a child. The tenderness of this relationship is heightened by the very tragic end of Weena, and the Traveler's obvious grief over his loss.

Of Wells "Holy Quartet" of novels ("The Time Machine", "The Island of Dr. Moreau", "The Invisible Man", "The War of the Worlds"), "The Time Machine" is probably the most successful. While the others are obviously good, "The Time Machine", in my opinion, is the most effective at balancing Wells' desire to share his philosophy with his desire to entertain. It's a short book, and can be read in an afternoon. Certainly that is an afternoon well-spent.

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Summary: The Time Machine
Review: "The Time Machine," by H.G. Wells was an interesting read. The beginning of the book was a bit shaky and difficult to comprehend, but after reading a few more pages the introduction is explained. H.G. Wells does a great job describing the adventures of the time traveller, he painted a good picture in my head. This book tells about the tragedies and phenomenons of a man and his journies travelling through time. This book is recommened to young adults because of some difficult vocabulary. He first arrives in a world filled with tiny "child-like" creatures that have a short attention span and are very peculiar. He finds out about underground creatures in the new world that come up every once in a while. He then finds his time machine stolen, so he goes underground to retrieve it and the action starts. Forest fires, drowning, death and other exciting things happen. The time traveller is explaining all of his adventures to a group of observers in present time. The ending his suspenseful and hard to believe.