Literary Analysis

The Invisible Man 

by H. G. Wells

General
1. Summery

 The story takes place in England around the 1890's. The Invisible Man is an amazing scientist that has discovered the ability to turn any one or anything invisible. This man's name is Griffin and he has spent several years experimenting and testing with light. Eventually (through a complicated process) he turns himself invisible and  realizes the potential and handicaps his new ability allows. With "great power comes great responsibility" and Griffin uses his new power for his own selfish desires and doesn't mind robbing, assaulting,  even killing anyone for his own purposes. He goes throughout England trying to find food and clothing that will disguise his secret power (covers up whole body so no one can see... his nothingness). He finds money and decides to spend this money for more research. He wants to be able to change from visibility to invisibility when ever he wants. He slowly becomes mad and almost none human eventually creating a dream where he controls all of England through and Empire of Terror (one invisible man may not sound like much but its a lot scarier than you think and the book makes the danger clear). He obsesses over his work never thinking about any one but himself. He is eventually hunted down (very difficult) and killed in a mob and his body slowly transforms visible again. Its not a pretty sight.  

2. Theme

Men that put their whole hearts in dreams are doomed to die corrupted and alone. 

3. Tone 

The tone is very journalistic. It takes an objectionable point of view without any buy-est. At the end of the book for example the narrator describes how they don't even know what the Invisible Man did while he was being hunted but he could make an educated guess on the scenario. When the Invisible Man speaks for example to a Marvel (is used by the Invisible Man) the narrator addresses the words coming from the Invisible Man as "said the Voice"because no one knows where the words are coming from.

4. Literary Terms

1. In chapter 5 there is an example of an alliteration "...heard the pad,pad,pad of bare feet..." which creates an uncomfortable mood. The idea of hearing the sound of feet walking around your house with at any sign of a person is very creepy.  
2. Chapter 6 gives an example of colloquialism by showing how people spoke in an old English village at the time. "A door onbust is always open to bustin buty can't onbust a door once you've busted en". 
3. Dialogue is used throughout the novel  to show the relationship between characters. Marvel for example talks very timidly with the Invisible Man because he knows the risk of upsetting him.  
4. Throughout the novel when Griffin speaks he's often referred to as the "Invisible Man" or "Voice" which is an example denotation. Remember the author of the book is very objective. 
5. In chapter 23 the Invisible Man describes the danger of walking in the open even without any cloths on (would be completely invisible) and uses a metaphor where  he describes how his figure would look like a bubble or an outline in the rain. 
6. Griffin is talking about Marvel in this quote at chapter 24 "And the filthy brute must needs try and rob me!" which is an example of irony because all Griffin has been doing with his new power is rob and pillage other peoples houses. 
7. In chapter 23 the Invisible Man makes an allusion to "Delilah". He is talking about the inability to enjoy his new power and refers to Delilah as the pointlessness in loving a women when she will only betray you. 
8. Chapter 14 has  is an example of personification "his agitation remained at fever heat". This dramatizes the situation adding emphasis to the amount of frustration he has.
9. There is an allusion in chapter 22 "Earth to Earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust..". Its a reference to passage in the Bible and is used by Griffin when talking about his father's death. 
10. At about the 60% mark of the book the Invisible Man goes into this long narration of his initial discovery and the means by which he got to his old friend's house. The whole thing is a flashback and explains many questions to meaning behind the Inadvisable Man. 

Characterization

Types of Characterization 

Direct

1. "his big toes were broad and pricked like the ears of a watchful dog". This is in reference to Marvel and it creates this image of a not so attractive person and describes his alertness. 
2. "Dr. Kemp was a tall and slender young man, with flaxen hair and a moustache almost white". It creates an image of average man with no unusual physical quality. He is certainly unaware of the impossible acquaintance he is about to meet.

Indirect

1. Griffin is a very selfish man and the author conveyed his flaws clearly through the way in which he speaks about himself and other people. 
2. Marvel is very cowardly and become clear after he is captured (basically) by the Invisible Man. When he finally manages to get away from Griffin he begs the police to lock him in the strongest cell so he wont be harmed. 

2. The authors word choice and way of writing never really changes because he is taking an objectionable point of view. The authors emotions don't impact the text however near the end of the story the author can no longer use other character's words or describe the characters from a third person point of view because no one knows exactly what happened (we know the ending but there is a grey area right before). 

3. The protagonist is mostly flat but has a dynamic element. He is already selfish and obsessed with his work and dreams for his new ability but his selfishness and obsession increase dramatically. He become full on insane at the end of the novel and almost not human. He only cares for himself. 

4. When Griffin is at the beginning of the story he is very deep in work trying to figure out a way to become visible again. He hates ( I mean hates!) any kind of disturbance and forgets to eat meals and is fully consumed in his work (never leaves). He's also angry and frustrated while he's working but gets calm again and figures out a problem that's been bugging him. There are a lot of similarities to his behavior and mine when it comes to homework or games. Its less dramatic as him of course and its getting a lot better but there's still that personality type that's in me as well.