The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

In this essay I am going to discuss Wells' use of contrast in the Time

Machine. This will include contrast from the Victorian era to the

future era, but also contrast in other sections. During a lot of the

book contrast is based on revealing intelligence and general lack of

it. It is also shown as what the time traveller thinks will happen and

what actually does happen. A lot of these contrasts are quite

regularly compared to the contrast of dark and light.

From the first page of the book we can even get a hint that the time

traveller is quite arrogant, he thinks his intelligence is better than

the others in his presence, "Expounding a recondite matter to us."

This complex piece of language shows he thinks he's intelligence. He

may have also used this complex language to make it sound scientific

so people believe him. "You will soon admit.." This shows he expects

people to admit he is right. A major theme displayed here is

knowledge; there is also a certain theme of understanding on the

people listening to the time traveller's part.

We also witness some use of contrast on the first page, mainly between

light and dark, "The fire burnt brightly," and, "His usually pale face

was flush and animated." This shows that he is quite positive about

what he is saying as light is a good sign. This is quite ironic as

later on in the novel we find light to be good as it is where the eloi

live, and dark to be bad as it is where the morlocks spend there time.

The part about fire is also ironic as he takes it for granted through

the novel and finds out how useful it really is when he goes to battle

with the mor...

... middle of paper ...

...n responsible for

the death of a person it is protecting.

In my personal opinion the reason the time traveller didn't do so well

in the future world is because he judged a book by its cover. When he

saw how devolved the eloi were he assumed the whole population would

be like that, inlcluding the morlock, who turned out to be quite

smart, except for their weakness of light. If the time traveller

wasn't so arrogant and stopped believing he was the most intelligent

been around he might have done so much better in the future.

Through the novel Wells' uses contrast of light and dark very well to

produce such issues like suspense and irony. He also uses it to create

and set character, and matters of tone, as well as theme. His use of

contrast is largely affective all the way through the novel and makes

it what it is.