The Time Machine and Perspectives of H.G. Wells - Book Report/Review Example

The Time Machine and Perspectives of H.G. Wells Due Introduction Time travel, the ability to move forward or back throughout history, has been at the center of dozens, if not hundreds, of science fiction literature, films, and television series over the decades. The ideas of time travel have been adopted into the creative ideology of humanity. Charles Dickens introduced the idea of time travel in his famous tale “A Christmas Carol,” where Scrooge is forced to visit events that occurred in the past, present, and future; however, it was H.G. Wells’s novel “The Time Machine” that first introduced science and technology into the time travel equation. No longer was “time travel” the domain of angels, spirits or magical deities but achievable through manmade means using scientific principles. It was not magic but science that could allow man to do great and amazing things. This potential, to do and understand things that were once thought the domain of paranormal or supernatural is now something that mankind could strive for, at least within the pages of science fiction novels. This earned Wells the title of “Father of Science Fiction” (“Biography: H.G. Wells). H.G. Wells, however, may have had far less interest in developing fictional literature, but more about creating a vehicle for his own views. “The Time Machine” directly reflects Well’s socialist principles and disdain for capitalism, along with his challenge of popular scientific philosophies, all cloaked in the guise of science fiction. History H.G. Wells was born in London, England in 1866. His parents owned a store where both of his parents were shopkeepers. However, when Wells’ was young the family shop faltered and they struggled financially for some time. To help support the family his mother went to work as a housekeeper at a wealthy estate. H.G. discovered his mother’s employer’s vast library and he became avid reader; studying works by Jonathon Swift and Voltaire. Wells, ultimately, received a strong education and would become an overnight success with the publishing of “The Time Machine” in 1895. He then followed this explosive success with novels like “ The Island of Doctor Moreau” in 1896, “The Invisible Man” in 1897, and “The War of the Worlds” in 1898 (“Biography::H.G. Wells).It is still “The Time Machine” that introduced the world to his political, social, and scientific opinions. “The Time Machine” tells a tale set initially in 19th century London. Interesting enough we know very little about most of the characters in the tale, including the protagonist, he is given the title only “Time Traveler.” The Time Traveler is a British scientist who builds a time machine that allow him to travel into the far distant future; more than 800,000 years into the future. When he arrives he discovers two dominant races in existence. The peaceful, gentile, and passive Eloi and the brutish, deep-dwelling Morloks. The Eloi have machines to do all of their work for them while they spend their days in leisure; however they are markedly less intelligent then he might have expected. When he first discovers the underground dwelling Morloks, although visually unappealing, he believed them to be the helpful semi-intelligent caregivers of the Eloi. He surmised that the Eloi must be descended from an elite class, while the Morloks from a working class; this existence is an extension of a symbiotic relationship. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The Eloi are dependent upon the Morloks to maintain their livelihood and the Morloks are dependent upon the Eloi for food; or rather as food. The Time Traveler wants to help the Eloi, but the best weapon he can manage is a club found at a museum. The Morloks are blinded by light and fearful of fire. However, the fire that the Time Traveler sets burns out of control and he loses Weena, the Eloi he had befriended. He does manage to obtain his Time Machine and then travels to the even further distant future. But, sadly, he finds a world nearly devoid of all life. Disappointed he returns to 19th century London. No one, except the Narrator loosely, believes the Time Traveler’s wild adventure. He offers to make another journey and return with proof. However the Time Traveler enters his laboratory and is never seen again (Wells 1-80). Discussion So what does a science fiction fairy-tale have to do with conveying of social, political, and scientific perspectives? In truth, science fiction and fantasy have used mythological and alien environments to teach lessons, express views, and force people to look at present day issues in a different, less personal light. J.R.R. Tolkien used the “Lord of the Rings” to express the existing philosophical battle between magic and nature versus science and technology. The film “GATTACA” presented a futuristic world where society has advanced technologies to engage in what amounts to eugenics, selective breeding, and the abortion of the imperfect. The multiple film “Terminator” saga shows us a potential future where human dependence upon technology results in societies take over by that technology leading to a human annihilation and apocalyptic devastation. The film “Butterfly Effect” was intended to warn against the dangers of time travel; the damage that can be done in attempting to change or alter the course of time. In the same way that many folklore and fairy tales were intended to teach morality and life lessons, like do not cry wolf and do not talk to strangers. In this science fiction is no different, except it tends to focus on issues that are controversial or involved long term consequences as opposed to day-to-day common scenarios or behaviors. Regardless of whether you agree with the author’s perspectives, ideas, and future predictions these creative visionaries were still making relevant, personal, and ideological statements through their written work. H.G. Wells perspectives were considered controversial at the time, and, under certain circumstances, would still be considered controversial today. H.G. Wells was known to have strong disdain for the rise of capitalist ideologies occurring in the world. Wells was follower of Marxist philosophy, based on the teachings of Karl Marx, believe in dialectical materialism, which supports that civilizations advance through conflict be it elections or revolts. The Socialist and Communist views include the establishment of a society where the government has great control while the society’s wealth is redistributed. Healthcare and education would be provided freely by the state and citizens would have partial ownership n the production of societal needs. Essentially, people must work and contribute, but not for personal gain or income but to increase the benefit of the “collective” society. Although Marxists loathed capitalism they acknowledged it as a phase of governmental evolution under Marxist teachings. It is a “necessary evil” of the process of reaching the more ideal society offered by socialist control (Bolton 1). Although appealing to some, socialism also, has a darker side. H.G. Wells was known to have believed that those individuals in society identified as “anti-social,” the mentally and physically disabled, people of color, occasionally, the elderly, and, finally, the Christians would all need to be eliminated from society. Wells’ even was said to have written pamphlets dedicated to promoting euthanasia, or “compassionate killing,” of these decidedly undesirable groups. He was even known to suggest that in the future society human beings will no longer participate in traditional marriage but engage in social coupling or unions where people’s most compatible mates would be determined by the “central authority” (OLeary 1). So it is very clear, even to modern audience, why many of the socialist perspectives were and still are considered quite controversial. However, how do these beliefs prevalent in Wells’ “The Time Machine?” The novel act as a Socialist warning of the long term consequences of capitalist structure. His family had owned their own business lost it all and ended up poor. The capitalist society structure had not benefitted his family so it stands to reason that some of his disdain began there. He uses the differences of the Eloi and the Morloks as representative metaphors of those consequences. Inequality of economics, ever widening class systems created by capitalism could actually manifest in a separation of humanity into divergent species The Morloks subjugated and forced underground and the Eloi have become lazy and decadent. This is the unpleasant future that “The Time Machine” are warning us to avoid. In reality Wells was essentially promoting the idea that to continue to embrace capitalism it could actually cause us to cease to be human. H.G. Wells, also, had some very strong scientific opinions that were in opposition to the popular perspectives of science, particularly Darwinian evolution and social evolution, which was prevalent at the time. Social evolution equates itself as being essentially the same as “natural” evolution. However, for human beings social evolution is adaption and change, which would, ultimately, lead to the greater goal of perfection of the human species. Victorian ideologies believed that people whose lives are successful, wealthy, and proper then they are the “fittest” of their social species and are therefore better evolved than others. Those people, in turn, whose lives were less successful, were less evolved and deservedly so. Wells disagreed with this interpretation for a number of reasons. Firstly, he did not equate social evolution with physical and biological evolution. He denied that species automatically is working towards attaining perfection through evolution, that this is not reflected in nature. He also believed in early scientific principles associated with “entropy.” Entropy is the concept that things, all things, living, energy, matter in general all start out in a highly active state but as time passes these things slow and grow lazy and lethargic with time. This does not support the idea that humanity would flourish overtime, in fact would it not mean that it would be destined to fail. He shared that very often evolution causes changes and adaption to a species and those adaptations may not be ideal in the long run. This does not indicate a goal of natural perfection (Pamboukian 9-10).This perspective is prevalent throughout “The Time Machine.” Wells used the Eloi and the Morloks to personify adaptations without necessary overall benefit. The Eloi, though peaceful, are lazy, unfit, and slow to move and show little enlightened thought, while the Morloks are strong grotesque, and competent, but, also, devoid of deeper thought. He is showing that as human kind changed, they have actually grown less intelligent, less organized, less competent, and less capable as opposed to increasing in advancement and intellect, the idea embraced by Victorian society. We see the hints of his beliefs of entropy. The humanity became the Eloi and Morloks, they have changed over time, but have they actually improved? Wells felt that the answer was no. Humanity did as he believed it slowed, became less active, and more slow and lazy. Evolution will not favor the interest of man in the future the way that many of Wells scientific peers might have suggested. He reflects the ideology in “The Time Machine” by making the Time Traveler shocked that the future of humanity did not involve growth in intelligence and transition to greater perfection (Vinson 1-80). Of course, with any perspective or opinion H.G. Wells is only surmising that the future would be better off based on his own perceptions, however, it might be just as easy for anther writer to write another tale that looks at the horrific future that could arise if we did all embrace a socialist world view. As a species we know a great deal about what it means to be human, but we hardly know it all, and it is impossible to really surmise what the future will be, particularly a future 100,000s of years yet to come. Conclusion In the modern era humanity still argues over which political structure is most beneficial, what social formats are likely to positively affect the people, As yet, no structure, be it capitalism, socialism, or any other form of government has ever been deemed perfect and all have their flaws. Such arguments are likely to continue on for generations to come. Today with greater and more far reaching understanding of genetics and the origins of mankind it is still rather impossible to determine when an evolutionary change will occur. As our scientific and technological understanding increased and changed so too did the styles and messages within science fiction. All the same, as previously mentioned, science fiction has been the canvas for many authors’ ulterior intentions hidden within their fictional tales. All the same modern experts do not agree at all with Wells interpretation of humanities evolutionary future. Some believe that globalization and more diversified environments human beings will become more similar not less. Some believe that skin color variation will be eliminated, hence eliminating race, we will be taller, and likely, live considerably longer, life spans (Von Radowitz 1). Others believe that because humanity exists outside of nature, controlling its living environments, which means that it may never follow the evolutionary path that they may have followed had they been closer to nature instead at opposition with it. In the end, many may not strive or agree with H.G. Wells political, social, and scientific beliefs but his ability to translate controversial issues into the basis of a fictional tale was a gift that earned him that esteemed title of “father of science fiction.” Even if that was never his overall goal; his intention may have been specifically and solely been to share his personal political, social ideologies, and ideological agenda. Work Cited Bolton, K.R. "Socialism, Revolution and Capitalist Dialectics." Foreign Policy Journal. (2010): 1. Web. 8 Feb. 2014. . OLeary, . "H. G. Wells: Popularizing Darwin, racism, and mayhem – the history you never learned in school." Uncommon Descent. 11 January 2011: 1. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. . Vinson, Haili Ann. "The Time Machine and Heart of Darkness : H.G. Wells, Joseph Conrad, and the fin de siècle." Graduate Thesis & Dissertations. (2011): 1-80. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. . Von Radowitz, John "Eloi vs Morlock vs Dr Oliver Curry of LSE." Bad Science. N.p., 17 Oct 2006. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. . Pamboukian, Sylvia A. "What The Traveler Saw : Evolution , Romance And Time -Travel ." H.G. Wells: Interdisciplinary Essays. 8-18. Web. 10 Feb. 2014. . Wells, H.G. The Time Machine. Dover Thrift Edition. Dover Publications, Inc, 1895. 1-80. eBook. "Biography: H.G. Wells." 2014. The Biography Channel website. Feb 09 2014, 12:46 http://www.biography.com/people/hg-wells-39224. Read More