The Theme of Society in Both Movie and Book The Time Machine - Essay Example

Both the book and the film manage to bring out the uncertainties and fear that the future brings to man. In the film the character of the Time Traveler is motivated to find out the answers that the future holds (Taylor). In the book Wells writes that it is possible to move around in space but the same cannot be possible when it comes to time (8). In both the book and the movie, the medical man and the psychologist express anxiety on the possibilities of travelling back ahead in time. The theme of uncertainty in the future and lack of control of the past is clearly brought out both in the book and in the film.

The film and the book manage to solve the problem through the invention of the time machine that can travel to the past and to the future. Both the film and the book carry the theme of classicism and some of the possible effect of classicism. The results of the classicism as Wells explains in the book are that human beings lose their sense of emotion and care for one another. In the book Wells outlines that There were no signs of struggle, neither social nor economical struggle (35). The existence of the Eloi which represents the upper social class is one without care for one another.

For instance, in the film when Weena almost drowns and all the other Eloi take no action to save her except for the Time Traveler. In the book it is written that none made the attempt to rescue the weakly crying little thing (45). The lower class which is represented by the Morlocks lives deep into caves, avoid light and feed on the Eloi. The themes emphasize on self destruction that the human race have brought on themselves as a result of waning humanity caused by classicism. The aspect of self destruction is also brought in the film when the Time Traveler returns and finds that the world is engulfed in Nuclear War.

In the film the theme of love and affection is clearly demonstrated when the Time Traveler falls in love with Weena. Despite of the lack of emotions in the lives of the Eloi, the book and the film manage to show that there is still a glimmer of hope for humanity. Weena manages to respond to the affection shown to her by the Time Traveler. The love and affection prompts the Time Traveler to take another deliberate journey into the future if only to meet Weena. The book however, does not demonstrate love and affection and only mentions that Weena and the Time Traveler had contact.

Wells writes that That was the beginning of a queer friendship which lasted a week, and ended (45). The book emphasizes on the fact the there is still some aspect of humanity as demonstrated by the gratitude and response of Weena towards the care shown to her by the Time Traveler. In connecting the present and the future both the film and the book outline the importance of taking care of the present if only to secure a better future for humanity. One aspect emphasized by both the book and the film as having the potential of creating chaos is classism.

The time traveler reveals the ultimate consequences of social class prejudice where the low class has been turned to animal like beings that feed on the upper class. Traveling between the past, present and the future, the film and the book allows for the connection between past, present and future. Works CitedThe Time Machine. Dir. George Pal. Perf. Rod Taylor. 1960. Film. Wells, H. G. Time Machine. Maryland: Manor, 2008. Print.