Characters
Griffin: The Invisible Man
Mr. & Mrs. Hall: Owner of the inn ‘Coach & Horses’
Teddy Henfrey: a clock jobber
The Rev. Mr. Bunting: a vicar in the town of Iping
Marvel: a local tramp
Dr. Kemp: a scientist and a former associate of Griffin
Dr. Cuss: a physician
Mr. Bobby Jaffers: the village constable
Colonel Adye: the chief of Burdock Police
Summary
On a cold wintery day, a stranger
came through the snowfall carrying a black portmanteau in his hand and
put up at the inn, ‘Coach & Horses'. The stranger was wrapped from
head to foot and no one could see his face. Mrs. Hall, the owner of
the inn thought that the stranger had either met with an accident or
had an operation on the face. His bags and baggage contained only
bottles and three note books. The stranger kept to himself in his room
and conducted experiments. He wanted to be alone and undisturbed as he
hated being disturbed while at work. His rude and strange behavior made
him unpopular with the villagers and they suspected him to be a
criminal. There was a theft in the house of Buntings at a time when the
stranger was not in his room. Mrs. and Mr. Hall went inside his empty
room and were surprised to see the bed sheets dancing. The terrified
owners chased him out of the inn with the help of Mr. Jaffers, the
village constable.
Griffin then met Mr. Marvel, a
local tramp to whom he confessed that he was invisible. He threatened
to kill him if he betrayed. He returned to Iping with Mr. Marvel to
take his three note books and other belongings. Since he had no clothes
on, he could not be seen by anybody.
After travelling a long distance,
they came to Burdock where Mr. Marvel tried to give him a slip by
hiding in the inn, ‘Jolly Cricketers’. By this time, the story of the
Invisible Man was in the newspaper and the whole country knew about it.
A scuffle ensued in the inn and the Invisible Man was hurt.
Unknowingly, an injured and bleeding Invisible Man took shelter in the
house of Dr. Kemp, who happened to be his associate in college.
Griffin told his story to Dr. Kemp.
Being a student of medicine, he was suddenly attracted towards Physics
and function of light. He invented a chemical by which he made a piece
of wool invisible. He then tried it on a cat and then on himself. He
did not inform anyone about his invention as he feared that somebody
else would take the credit of his invention. At first, he thought only
of the advantages of being invisible but gradually he found the
disadvantages too. He needed food, clothing and shelter as the weather
was changing and snow would settle on his body. He came to Iping to do
research and find out the reverse process which he had not invented.
His body was like a thin sheet of glass. The food that he ate could be
seen going down his throat until it was digested. Only the dogs could
sense him. He wanted his three note books from Mr. Marvel. He told Dr.
Kemp that together they could unleash the Reign of Terror in that small
town.
Dr. Kemp did not keep his promise
to maintain secrecy. He had informed Colonel Adye about the presence of
the Invisible Man in his house. Seeing the police, Griffin ran out of
house calling Kemp a traitor. A siege was laid in the whole town of
Burdock to catch the Invisible Man under the guidance of Dr. Kemp. The
Invisible Man attacked the house of Dr. Kemp as he had realized that
Dr. Kemp had betrayed him.
In the final chase, the Invisible Man was caught by the road workers with
the help of Dr. Kemp and beaten to death. After death, Griffin's body
became visible. Mr. Marvel opened an inn with the money that Griffin
had kept with him and named it 'The Invisible Man'. He also preserved
the note books from Dr. Kemp and the outside world as he hoped that
this would fetch him fortune someday.
Theme: Corruption of Morals in the Absence of Social Restriction
1. The narrator uses the Invisible
Man to experiment with the depth to which a person can sink when there
are no social restrictions to suppress his behavior. When Griffin first
kills his father, he excuses it away by saying that the man was a
“sentimental fool.” When he takes the potion himself, he endures such
pain that he “understands” why the cat howled so much in the process of
becoming invisible. Nevertheless he has no compassion for the cat, for
his father or for any of the people he takes advantage of in the
course of trying to survive invisibility. On the contrary, he descends
from committing atrocities because they are necessary to his survival
to committing them simply because he enjoys doing so.
2. This theme of corruption in the
absence of social law has become a motif that is explored in other
literary works. H. G. Well created his story with very little
psychological elaboration or character development. Other writers,
however, have taken the idea much farther; we are thus blessed with
novels such as Lord of the Flies, and Heart of Darkness, along with
short stories by Poe and Melville.
Questions based on the plot, theme and character
Q1. Why did the people of Iping turn hostile towards the str
anger?
Ans. Griffin aroused the
curiosity of the people of Iping from the very first day. He did not
talk to anyone. He confined himself in the room and talked to none. His
bags contained only bottles. His rude and unusual behaviour aroused
the curiosity of the people.
Tedd Henfrey who had come to mend
the clock was rudely asked to leave. He warned Mr. Hall that the
stranger could be a criminal in disguise as he had a suspicious nature.
When his bags arrived the dog came and tore off his bandage. He rushed
to his room to change followed by Mr. Hall who offered to help but he
was pushed out of the room. Suspicion arose when Dr. Cuss saw his empty
sleeve in the place of an arm and the people started disliking him.
The Vicar and his wife saw the candlelight in the middle of the night
in their room and their money and gold vanished away. When Mr. and Mrs.
Hall found his room empty they were attacked by an invisible person
and saw the furniture dancing. This infuriated Mrs. Hall as it was her
mother's furniture. She thought that the stranger was a spirit. Mr.
Hall brought the police to catch the stranger but the invisible man
pushed everybody and escaped.
Q2. Describe the meeting between Marvel and the Invisible Man.
Ans. Mr. Marvel was a local
tramp. He was sitting alone and trying his boots. Suddenly, a voice
talked to him. He answered the voice but when he looked around, he
found no one. He thought probably he was drunk, so could not see
anyone. The Invisible Man then started throwing flints at him to show
that he was an ordinary man but invisible who needed food, clothing and
shelter like any other man. Marvel felt his hand, face, and chest and
was convinced. The Invisible Man told Marvel that he had chosen him as
he wanted his help and would be rewarded. He also warned him against
betrayal. A terrorized Marvel promised to help. Marvel had to do things
according to the wishes of the Invisible Man. He went to Iping,
entered Griffin's room and stole the three note books. As Mr. Huxter
chased him, Marvel had to run for his life.
The story of the Invisible Man was
in the papers. Marvel tried to tell the mariner about the Invisible Man
but was stopped by him. Tired and exhausted, he ran for his life with
the books of Griffin and the money that Griffin had stolen.
At Burdock, Marvel entered the
Jolly Cricketer and hid himself in the kitchen but was pulled out. A
fight ensued between Griffin and the police. Marvel escaped and landed
in the police station.
After the death of Griffin, we see
Marvel open an inn called The Invisible Man. The owner of the money
stolen by Griffin could not be found, so it remained with Marvel. He is
no more a tramp but rich man. He has preserved the note book of
Griffin away from the outside world. He hoped that someday it would
fetch him a fortune.
Chapter wise Summary
CHAPTER 1. The Strange Man’s Arrival
A stranger arrives in Bramble Hurst
railway station. He is bundled from head to foot with only the tip of
his nose showing. He enters the Coach & Horses Inn and demands a
room and a fire. Mrs. Hall, the owner prepares a supper for him and
offers to take his coat and hat, but he refuses to take them off. When
he finally removes the hat, his entire head is swathed in a bandage.
Mrs. Hall thinks he has endured some accident. She tries to get him to
talk about himself, but he is taciturn with her, although not
particularly rude.
CHAPTER 2. Mr. Teddy Henfrey’s First Impressions
Teddy Henfrey, a clock repairman,
comes to the inn for tea. Mrs. Hall asks him to “repair the clock” in
the stranger’s room. Teddy deliberately takes as long as he can with
the clock, taking it apart and reassembling it for no reason. The
stranger finally gets him to hurry up and leave. Offended, Teddy talks
himself into believing that the stranger is someone of a suspicious
nature, perhaps even wanted by the police and is wrapped up to conceal
his identity. Teddy runs into Mr. Hall and warns him about the
stranger, informing him that a “lot of luggage” will be coming. It
would seem that the stranger intends to stay awhile. Mr. Hall goes home
intending to investigate the stranger, but is put off by the
short-tempered demeanor of his wife.
CHAPTER 3.The Thousand and One Bottles
1. The stranger’s luggage arrives
at the inn. Numerous crates fill the deliveryman’s cart, some of them
containing bottles packaged in straw. Fearenside, the cartman, owns a
dog that starts to growl when the stranger comes down the steps to help
with the boxes. The dog jumps for the stranger’s hand, but misses and
sinks his teeth in a pant leg. The dog tears open the trouser leg,
whereupon the stranger goes quickly back into the inn and to his room.
2. Concerned about the possibility
of injury, Mr. Hall goes to the stranger’s room. He gets a glimpse of
what seems like a white mottled face before he is shoved by an unseen
force back through the door. The stranger soon reappears at the door,
his trousers changed, and gives orders for the rest of his luggage. The
stranger unpacks 6 crates of bottles, which he arranges across the
windowsill and all the available table and shelf space in the inn’s
parlor-a space he seems to have commandeered for himself.
3. Mrs. Hall enters later to tend
to his needs and catches a quick glimpse of him without his glasses.
His eyes seem hollow; he quickly puts his glasses on. She starts to
complain about the straw on the floor, but he tells her to put it on
the bill and to knock before entering his rooms. She points out that he
could lock his door if he doesn’t want to be bothered, advice that he
takes. He then works behind the locked door all afternoon. At one
point, Mrs. Hall hears him raving about not being able to “go on.” She
hears a sound like a bottle being broken. Later she takes him tea and
notes the broken glass and a stain on the floor. He again tells her to
“put it on the bill.”
4. Meanwhile Fearenside talks in
the beer shop of Iping Hangar. Fearenside says that the stranger is a
“black man,” an assumption derived from the absence of “pink flesh”
when the trouser leg was ripped open. When reminded of the pink nose,
Fearenside claims that the man must therefore be a “piebald,” or a part
white, part black creature.
CHAPTER 4. Mr. Cuss Interviews the Stranger
1.The stranger works diligently in
his room until the end of April with only occasional skirmishes with
Mrs. Hall. Whenever she disapproves of anything he does, he quiets her
with additional payment. He rarely goes out during the day, but goes
out nearly every night, muffled up regardless of the weather.
2.His identity becomes a topic of
speculation in the town. Mrs. Hall defends him, repeating his own words
that he is an “experimental investigator.” The view of the town is
that he is a criminal trying to escape justice. Mr. Gould, the
probationary assistant imagines that the man must be an “anarchist” who
is preparing explosives.
3.Another group of people believe
he is a piebald and could make a lot of money if he chose to show
himself at the fairs. All agree, however, that due to his habits of
secrecy, they dislike him. The young men begin to mock his bearing; a
song called “Bogey Man” becomes popular and children follow at a
distance calling out “Bogey Man.”
4.The curiosity of a general
practitioner named Cuss is aroused, and he contrives for an interview.
During the interview the stranger accidentally removes his hand from
his pocket. Cuss is able to see down the empty sleeve to the elbow.
Cuss questions him about “moving an empty sleeve.” The stranger laughs,
then extends the empty sleeve toward Cuss’s face and pinches his nose.
Cuss leaves in terror and tells his story to Bunting, the vicar.
CHAPTER 5. The Burglary and the Vicarage
Mrs. Bunting, the vicar’s wife,
wakes up at the sound of bare feet walking through her house. She wakes
her husband and the two watch and listen as a candle is lit and papers
are rustled in the study. When they hear the telltale clink of money,
Rev. Bunting rushes into the study with a raised poker, but the room
appears to be empty. Their money disappears and at one point they hear a
sneeze in the hallway but are unable to locate or see the intruder.
CHAPTER 6. The Furniture that Went Mad
1.The Halls arise very early in the
morning on Whit-Monday in order to take care of some private business
having something to do with their wine cellar. In passing by the
guest’s room, Mr. Hall notices that the door is ajar. A few minutes
later, he sees that the bolts on the front door of the house are
unlocked although he remembers shutting them on the previous night. The
guest is not in his room, but his clothes, shoes, and even his hat are
scattered about. As the Halls are investigating, the bed-clothes
suddenly gather themselves into a bundle and toss themselves over the
bottom rail. Then a chair flies toward Mrs. Hall. The legs of the chair
are brought to rest against her back, propelling her out of the room.
The door slams and is locked behind them. The Halls decide that the
stranger is a spirit.
2.They send for Sandy Wadgers, the
blacksmith who is also supposed to be an exorcist. Wadgers is joined by
Huxter, and together they ponder the likelihood of witchcraft and
contemplate the propriety of breaking through the door in order to
examine the situation more closely. However, before they can carry out
any such action, the door opens and the stranger emerges, wrapped and
bundled as usual. He distracts them long enough to enter the parlor and
slam the door against them. When Mr. Hall raps on the door and demands
an explanation, the stranger tells him to “go to the devil” and “shut
the door after you.”
CHAPTER 7. The Unveiling of the Stranger
1.The stranger remains locked in
the parlor all morning. He rings his bell for Mrs. Hall several times,
but she does not answer it. About noon, he emerges and demands to know
why his meals have not been brought to him. Mrs. Hall tells him that
his bill has not been paid in five days. She refuses to accept the
excuse that he is waiting for a remittance. When he produces some
money, she refuses it, saying she first wants to know why he doesn’t
enter by doorways and move about like normal people.
2.For his answer, the stranger
removes all his head wrappings, including his nose and moustache. He
thus looks like a person with a missing head. At the sound of screams a
crowd of people run toward the inn. “Eye-witnesses” suddenly babble
hysterical stories of the man attacking the servant girl, and
brandishing a knife. Bobby Jaffers, the village constable, appears with
a warrant.
3.The stranger slaps Jaffers with
his glove, but then says he will surrender. He will not accept
handcuffs, however. As the constable, Halls and others watch, the man
removes the rest of his clothes, becoming invisible before them. He
tells them that he is invisible. Jaffers wants to take him in for
questioning on suspicion of robbing the Bunting home. A scuffle ensues,
and the stranger, now known as the “Invisible Man,” escapes.
CHAPTER 8. In Transit
An amateur naturalist named Gibbins
is relaxing out on the downs and hears someone coughing, sneezing and
swearing. Frightened, Gibbins gets up and runs home.
CHAPTER 9. Mr. Thomas Marvel
1.Marvel is an eccentric bachelor
and local tramp who likes to be comfortable and take his time about
things. He has come across a pair of boots in a ditch. He has tried
them on and found them too big, and is occupied in contemplating the
boots when he hears a voice nearby. Marvel talks about boots with the
voice for several minutes before turning to see his visitor and finding
no one there.
2.First Marvel tells himself that
he has had too much to drink, then that his imagination has played some
sort of trick on him. The Invisible Man begins throwing things at
Marvel to convince him that he is not just imagining the presence.
Eventually the Man convinces Marvel that he is real and is in need of
an accomplice who will first give him food, water and shelter. He
delivers an unfinished threat of what he will do if Marvel betrays him.
CHAPTER 10. Mr. Marvel’s Visit to Iping
1.Iping has nearly recovered its
earlier holiday atmosphere. As only a few people had actually made
contact with the Invisible Man, the general population is soon able to
reason him away as some trick of an overactive, holiday imagination.
2.Around 4:00, Mr. Marvel enters
town and is observed by Huxter to behave rather strangely. He makes his
way down the street almost reluctantly. He stops at the foot of the
steps to the Coach & Horses and seems to undergo a great struggle
before finally entering. A few minutes later, he re-emerges, apparently
having had a drink, and walks as if he is trying to act nonchalant.
Soon he disappears into the yard and re-emerges with a bundle wrapped
in a tablecloth. Huxter thinks some robbery has taken place and tries
to follow Marvel when he is tripped in a mysterious fashion and sent
sprawling.
CHAPTER 11. In the Coach & Horses
1.The narrator backtracks to
explain what happened inside the Coach & Horses. Mr. Cuss and Mr.
Bunting were in the parlor going through the belongings of the
Invisible Man. Three large books labeled “Diary” are written in a
cipher or code they do not understand.
2.Suddenly the inn door opens and
Mr. Marvel enters. They disregard him and begin studying the books
again when an unseen force grabs each of them by the neck and begins
pounding their heads on the table between questions about what they are
doing with his things. The man demands his belongings, saying he wants
his books and some clothes.
CHAPTER 12. The Invisible Man Loses His Temper
1.Mr. Hall and Teddy Henfrey are
involved in a discussion behind the hotel bar when they hear a thump on
the parlor door. They hear strange sounds as of things being thrown
against the door and some bizarre conversation. Doors open and shut and
they see Marvel taking off with Huxter trying to follow him. Suddenly
Huxter executes a complicated leap in the air. Seconds later, Hall
lands on the ground as if he had been attacked by a football player.
2.Several other individuals are
shoved aside or sent sprawling in the streets. Mr. Cuss calls for help,
telling people that the “Man” has all of the vicar’s clothes. After
breaking all the windows in the Coach & Horses and thrusting a
chair through the parlor window of another citizen’s house, the
Invisible Man disappears from Iping.
CHAPTER 13. Mr. Marvel discusses His Resignation
Mr. Marvel, propelled by the
unrelenting shoulder grip and vocal threats of the Invisible Man,
arrives in Bramblehurst. Marvel tries to reason his way out of the
situation to no avail. The Invisible man needs a normal person to carry
his books and is determined to make use of the fat, red-faced little
man.
CHAPTER 14. At Port Stowe
1.Marvel arrives in Port Stowe and
is seen resting on a bench outside of town. He has the books with him,
but the bundle of clothing has been abandoned in the woods. As he sits
there, an elderly mariner, carrying a newspaper, sits down beside him.
Citing the paper, the mariner brings up the topic of an Invisible man.
2.According to the newspaper, the
man afflicted injuries on the constable at Iping. Certain evidence
indicates that he took the road to Port Stowe. The mariner ponders the
strange things such a man might be able to do-trespass, rob or even
slip through a cordon of policeman.
3. Marvel begins to confide in the
mariner, saying he knows some things about this Invisible Man. Suddenly
Marvel is interrupted by an attack of some kind of pain. He says it is
a toothache, then goes on to say that the Invisible Man is a hoax.
Marvel begins to move off, walking sideways with violent forward jerks.
4.Later the mariner hears another
fantastic story-that of money floating along a wall in butterfly
fashion. The story is true, however. All about the neighborhood, money
has been making off by the handful and depositing itself in the pockets
of Mr. Marvel.
CHAPTER 15. The Man Who Was Running
Dr. Kemp happens to be day-dreaming
out his window when he spots a short, fat man running down the hill as
fast as he can go. The doctor notices that the man is running “heavy”
as if his pockets are “full of lead.” Kemp’s reaction is one of
contempt, but the people on the street who see him approaching react a
bit differently. The running man is Marvel; his expression is one of
terror. A short distance behind him, people hear the sound of panting
and a pad like hurrying bare feet. Soon cries of “The Invisible Man is
coming” are heard in the streets along with the slamming of doors as
people bolt into their houses.
CHAPTER 16. In the Jolly Cricketers
1.The Jolly Cricketers is a tavern.
The barkeep, a cabman, an American and an off duty policeman are
engaged in idle chat when marvel bursts through the door. Marvel begs
for help, claiming the Invisible Man is after him.
2.A pounding begins at the door and
then a window is broken in. The Invisible Man doesn’t come in
immediately, however. The barman checks the other doors, but by the
time he realizes the yard door is open, the Invisible Man is already
inside. Marvel, who is hiding behind the bar, is caught and dragged
into the kitchen. The policeman rushes in and grips the invisible wrist
of the hand that holds onto Marvel, but is abruptly hit in the face.
3.People stumble over and into each
other as all try to catch the Invisible Man. He yelps when the
policeman steps on his foot, then flails wildly about with his
Invisible fists and finally gives them the slip. The American fires
five cartridges from his gun, sweeping his gun in a circular pattern as
he fires. The chapter ends with the men feeling around for an
invisible body.
CHAPTER 17. Doctor Kemp’s Visitor
1.Doctor Kemp is still working in
his study when he hears the shots fired in the Cricketers. He opens his
window and watches the crowd at the bottom of the hill for a few
minutes, then returns to his writing desk. A few minutes later, he
hears his doorbell ring, but his housekeeper says it was only a
“runaway” ring.
2.The doctor is at his work until 2
AM when he decides to go downstairs for a drink. On the way he notices
a spot of drying blood on his linoleum floor. Then he finds more blood
on the doorknob of his own bedroom. In his room, his bedspread is
smeared with blood, his sheet is torn, and bedclothes are depressed as
if someone has been sitting there.
3.The Invisible Man introduces
himself to Kemp. He is Griffin, of University College. He explains that
he made himself Invisible, but is wounded and desperately in need of
shelter, clothes and food.
4.Kemp loans him a dressing gown
along with some drawers, socks and slippers. Griffin eats everything
Kemp can rustle up and finally asks for a cigar. He promises to tell
Kemp the story of his bizarre situation but insists that he must sleep
first as he has had no sleep in nearly three days.
CHAPTER 18. The Invisible man Sleeps
1.Griffin examines the windows of
the room, then exacts a promise from Kemp that he will not be betrayed
in his sleep and finally locks the door, barring Kemp from his own
room.
2.Kemp retires to his dining room
to speculate upon the strange events. There he sees the day’s
newspaper, which he had ignored earlier. He reads it eagerly, but
assigns the more terrifying elements of the stores to “fabrication.” In
the morning he sends his housekeeper for all available papers and
reads those as well. The papers contain
3.stories of the previous evening’s
events at the Cricketers along with a rather badly written account of
Marvel’s experience. Marvel doesn’t tell how he came upon the money in
his pockets, nor does he mention the location of the three books. Kemp
becomes alarmed at the possibilities of what Griffin could do and
writes a note to Colonel Adye at Port Burdock.
CHAPTER 19. Certain First Principles
Griffin explains how he became
invisible. He had been a medical student, but had dropped medicine and
taken up physics. He discovered a formula of pigments that lowers the
refractive index of a substance, allowing light to pass through it
rather than being reflected or refracted. After experimenting with
pigments for three years, he came upon the secret whereby animal tissue
could be rendered transparent. He was continuously trying to hide his
work from another professor. He was finally brought to a halt in his
experimenting by a lack of funds, a problem he solved by robbing his
own father. Because the money did not belong to him, his father shot
himself.
CHAPTER 20. At the House in Great Portland Street
1.Griffin explains how he had found
lodging in a boarding house on Great Portland Street. After his
father’s funeral, he went to his apartment to continue with his
experiments. He successfully made a piece of cloth disappear, then he
tried his process on a stray cat. The cat was not entirely successful,
as the animal’s eyes and claws never completely disappeared.
2.Later the next day he had a minor
altercation with the landlord who brought reports of Griffin
tormenting a cat in the night. The landlord wanted to know what Griffin
was doing in the room and what all the paraphernalia was for. The two
argued and Griffin shoved the landlord out of the room. Griffin knew he
would have to act quickly, so he made arrangements to have his
belongings stored, then he drank some of his own potion. In the evening
the landlord returned with an ejection notice, but was too terrified
at the stone white face of Griffin to serve it. In spite of extreme
illness and pain, Griffin finished his treatment and watched himself
gradually disappear.
3.In the morning, the landlord, his
stepsons and the elderly neighbor lady who had complained about the
cat enter Griffin’s apartment and are astonished to see no one. A day
later, afraid, lest his equipment reveal too much information, Griffin
smashes the items and sets fire to the house. Believing that he has
covered his tracks with impunity, he begins to imagine all sorts of
“wild and wonderful” things he will be able to do under the cover of
invisibility.
CHAPTER 21. In Oxford Street
1.Griffin continues to explain his
experiences with invisibility. He soon discovered that being invisible
had as many drawbacks as advantages. People ran into him and stepped on
him. He had to be continually on guard as to the movements and
positions of others in order to avoid accidental contact. To make
matters worse, although people could not see him, dogs could detect him
with their keen sense of smell. As he had to remain naked, he was soon
uncomfortable. Also, he could not eat, as food was visible until it
was fully assimilated into his system.
2.At one point, he had run up the
steps of a house in order to avoid a unit of a marching Salvation Army
band. While he waited, two youngsters spotted the prints of his bare
feet in the mud. Soon a crowd of people had gathered to look at the
“ghost prints.” He leapt over the railing and ran through a bunch of
back roads to avoid the press. Fortunately for him, his escape at that
time was aided with the distraction created by conflagration engulfing
his former dwelling.
CHAPTER 22. In the Emporium
1.Griffin explains his first
attempts to get clothing and render his situation more tolerable. He
had gone into the Omniums, a large apartment type store where one could
buy everything from groceries to clothing. He made his way to an area
of bedsteads and mattresses, hoping that once the store closed for the
night, he would be able to sleep on the mattresses and steal some
clothes with which to mask his condition.
2.In the night he procured a
complete set of clothes for himself, helped himself to food in a
refreshment department, and then slept in a pile of down quilts. He
failed to awaken before the morning crew had entered, however, and was
unable to escape as long as they could see him. Thus he was forced to
shed the clothing and run, naked, back out into the cold.
CHAPTER 23. In Drury Lane
1.Griffin’s peril increased daily.
He had no clothes or shelter and dared not eat. Also, he soon realized
that walking through the streets of London was going to result in an
accumulation of dirt on his skin- which would make him visible in a
grotesque way.
2.He made his way into a costume
shop, hoping to make way with some clothes and dark glasses after the
proprietor had gone to bed. In the shopkeeper’s room, he had to stand
and watch the man eat his breakfast. Furthermore, the man had
exceptionally acute hearing and nearly discovered Griffin several
times. When evening came, he was finally able to explore the house and
found a pile of old clothes. In his excitement, he forgot about the
noise he was making and was nearly caught when the shopkeeper
investigated the noise. Unable to see the source, but positive someone
was in the house, the proprietor went about locking all the doors in
the house and pocketing the keys. In desperation, Griffin struck the
old man on the head, then gagged and tied him with a sheet. Then he put
together a costume of old clothes, stole all the money he could find
and went out into the street.
3.Believing his troubles were over,
Griffin went into a restaurant and ordered a meal, but soon realized
he couldn’t eat it without exposing his invisible face. He ordered the
lunch and left, telling the proprietor that he would be back in ten
minutes.
4.Griffin went to “another place”
(which happens to be the Coach & Horses Inn) and demanded a private
room, explaining that he was “badly disfigured.” Thus he had set
himself up at Iping, hoping to find a way to reverse the process of
invisibility. Here he was finally discovered.
CHAPTER 24. The Plan that Failed
1.Griffin tells how his original
plan, after being discovered by the people of Iping, had been to get
his books and get out of the country, but that plan had changed upon
meeting Kemp. He thinks that Kemp can work with him. Together they can
set up a “reign of terror” to take full advantage of the Invisibility.
Griffin does not realize that Kemp has already betrayed him and is only
trying to keep him talking until the police arrive. Kemp stands in
front of the window to keep Griffin from seeing the police, but Griffin
soon hears them on the stairs and realizes he has been deceived.
2.Griffin quickly begins to disrobe
even as Kemp springs to the door and attempts to lock him in. A
dropped key spoils the effort as the now invisible Griffin shoves him
aside, then hurls his weight at Colonel Adye, the chief of the Burdock
Police who is approaching on the stairs. Griffin escapes past two more
policemen in the hall; they hear the front door of the house slam
violently.
CHAPTER 25. The Hunting of the Invisible man
Kemp explains the situation to the
police, informing them of Griffin’s intentions to cause general mayhem.
They talk of using dogs to sniff him out and of putting powdered glass
in the streets.
CHAPTER 26. The Wicksteed Murder
By 2:00 in the afternoon, the
entire countryside around Burdock has been mobilized. Men set out with
guns, clubs and dogs, and the police warn the village people to lock
their doors and stay inside. Griffin manages to evade his pursuers for a
24-hour period except for one encounter with a middle-aged man who had
apparently cornered him. Griffin kills the man by beating him with an
iron rod.
CHAPTER 27. The Siege of Kemp’s House
1.Kemp receives a letter telling
him that the Reign of Terror is beginning and that Kemp himself will be
the first execution for the sake of an example. Kemp decides that he
himself will be the bait and that Griffin will be caught because he
will have gone too far. A knock at the door turns out to be Adye with
news that Kemp’s housekeeper-who was carrying notes for the police-had
been attacked and the notes taken from her.
2.Griffin makes his presence known
by smashing windows in Kemp’s house. During the battle that follows,
Adye is shot. Griffin gets inside the house and tries to tell the
police to “stand away” as he is after only Kemp. He swings an ax at
them, but one of them manages to strike him with an iron poker. By this
time Kemp has followed his housekeeper through a window and is nowhere
to be found.
CHAPTER 28. The Hunter Hunted
Griffin chases Kemp through the
town. People begin to join in the chase. When Kemp realizes that the
people are chasing Griffin, he stops running, which allows the
Invisible Man to catch him. Even though people cannot see him, they are
able to grab hold of him and keep him down. The effort is not needed
for long as Griffin has been fatally injured and seems to have lost a
lot of blood. As the town people watch, the effect of invisibility is
gradually reversed, and soon, Griffin, now dead, is visible.
Character Analysis
Character Analysis
Griffin
1. He is an albino college student
who had changed his area of study from medicine to physics and had
become interested in refractive indexes of tissue. During his studies
he stumbled across formulas that would render tissue invisible.
Eventually he tries the formula on himself, thinking of all the things
he could do if he were invisible. Unfortunately, the conveniences are
far outweighed by the disadvantages; Griffin turns to crime as a means
of survival.
2. Griffin is the model of science
without humanity. He becomes so obsessed with his experiments that he
hides his work lest anyone else should receive credit. When he runs out
of money, he kills his own father - a crime that makes the rest of his
crimes pale in comparison. He goes from scientist to fanatic when he
begins to focus all of his attention merely on the concept of
invisibility and neglects to think about the consequences of such a
condition.
3. He may not have had any
intention initially of trying the potion on himself, but the
interference of his landlord and prying neighbor lady motivate him to
cover his work and remove himself from further confrontation. The evil
that he could commit does not occur to him until after he has swallowed
the potion and seen the reaction of the landlord and others.
4. The irony is, that his
invisibility is good only for approaching unseen and for getting away.
Any gains from his crimes are useless to him. He cannot enjoy any of
the normal comforts of life-such as food, clothes, and money. He cannot
eat without hiding the action, as the food in his system will render
him visible. Clothes, when he is able to wear them, must be used to
cover him from head to foot in order to conceal his real
“concealment”--hardly a comfortable state in the heat of the summer. He
can steal money, but cannot spend it on his own accord. Thus the
condition that would make him invulnerable also renders him helpless.
5. In spite of his predicament,
Griffin at no time expresses any remorse for his behavior or for the
crimes, which he merely describes as “necessary.” His only regret is
frustration over not having thought about the drawbacks of
invisibility. For nearly a year, he works on trying to perfect an
antidote; when time runs out for that activity, he first tries to leave
the country, and then, that plan failing, tries to find an accomplice
for himself so he can enjoy his invisibility and have all the comforts
of life as well. He goes from obsession to fanaticism to insanity.
Thomas Marvel
Thomas Marvel
Mr. Marvel is the local tramp. He
is harmless, eccentric, fat, but not nearly as stupid as Griffin thinks
he is. He is smart enough to know when a good thing has happened to
him; the stories he tells to the press bring him much attention and
sympathy. In the end, he gets to keep all the money Griffin stole, and
he contrives on his own to keep the books of Griffin’s experiments. He
becomes the owner of an inn as well as the village bard, as it is to
him that people come when they want to know the stories of the
Invisible Man. In spite of his earlier torment, he is the only one who
actually benefits from Griffin’s presence.
Dr. Kemp
A former associate of Griffin’s in
his college days. Griffin had been a student and knew Kemp to be
interested in bizarre, and idiosyncratic aspects of science. Kemp is
referred to as “the doctor,” but his degree seems to be an academic one
rather than a medical one. He continues his own study in hopes of
being admitted to “the Royal Fellows.” His own experiments and
fascination with science enable him to listen sensibly to Griffin, but
in spite of being rather contemptuous of his fellow citizens, his
common sense and decency prevent him from being a part of Griffin’s
schemes. Kemp is also the only “cool headed” person in the town once
the final attack begins. He runs to escape Griffin, but as soon as
Griffin catches him, he has the presence of mind to turn the capture
around. He is also the first to realize that even though Griffin is
invisible, he is injured, and, ultimately, dead.
Janny Hall
Janny Hall is the wife of Mr. Hall
and the owner of the Coach and Horses Inn. A very friendly,
down-to-earth woman who enjoys socializing with her guests, Mrs. Hall
is continually frustrated by the mysterious Griffin's refusal to talk
with her, and his repeated temper tantrums.
George Hall
George Hall is the husband of Mrs.
Hall and helps her run the Coach and Horses Inn. He is the first person
in Iping to suspect that the mysterious Griffin is invisible: when a
dog bites him and tears his glove, Griffin retreats to his room and
Hall follows to see if he is all right, only to see Griffin without his
glove and handless (or so it appears to Hall).
Teddy Henfrey
A clock repairman who happens to visit the inn for a cup of tea. Mrs. Hall takes advantage of him to try to find out about her strange guest. Because the stranger will not talk, Teddy convinces himself that the man is someone of a “suspicious” nature. Teddy begins the rumors about the man being wanted by the police and merely wrapping himself up to conceal his identity.Fearenside
A cartman who delivers luggage from
the station whenever he is needed. He notices darkness through a torn
pant leg where there should be pink flesh and starts the stories of
Griffin being either a black man or a piebald.
Dr. Cuss
A general practitioner who attempts
to get an interview with Griffin. He is the first to realize he
actually see emptiness where there should be flesh and bone. He also
tells an outrageous story to his companions in town after Griffin
terrifies him by pinching his nose with an invisible hand.
Colonel Adye
Col. Adye is the chief of Police in
the town of Port Burdock. He is called upon by Dr. Kemp when the
Invisible Man turns up in Kemp's house. Adye saves Kemp from the
Invisible Man's first attempt on his life and leads the hunt for the
unseen fugitive. He mostly follows Kemp's suggestions in planning the
campaign against the Invisible Man. He is eventually shot by the
Invisible Man. Upon being shot, Adye is described as falling down and
not getting back up. However, he is mentioned in the epilogue as being
one of those who had questioned Thomas Marvel about the whereabouts of
the Invisible Man's notebooks, and is never made clear whether this
occurred prior to his being shot, or if it occurred afterwards and Adye
survived.
J.A. Jaffers
J.A. Jaffers is a constable or
"bobby" in the town of Iping. He is called upon by Mr. Hall and Mrs.
Hall to arrest Griffin after they suspect him of robbing the Reverend
Bunting. He overcomes his shock at the discovery that Griffin was
invisible quickly, determined to arrest him in spite of this. The
Invisible Man knocks him unconscious in his flight from Iping.
Mr. And Mrs. Bunting
Bunting is the vicar. Cuss takes
his story to Bunting. The next evening Bunting and his wife hear noise
in their house after they have gone to bed. They are able to hear
someone sneeze, and their money disappears right before their eyes.
