BRAINSTORM

List some advantages and disadvantages

of technology

THE TIME MACHINE

H. G. Wells

BACKGROUND
Herbert George Wells (18661946)
was a biologist, a teacher, a
historian, and a social criticas well
as a writer of novels and short
stories.
After earning his degree in 1889,
Wells went to work as a college
biology teacher. Soon, inspired
by the science fantasies of Jules Verne, Wells decided
to try to write his own scientific romance.

scientific romance/science fiction

simplified, larger-than-life

characters
A hero that sets out on difficult

quest
believable (although imaginary)
technology
scientific concepts

Why is The Time Machine considered

an example of science fiction?
It involves a journey into the future
It includes futuristic technology

It explores issues of its time

H. G. Wells Background
Intrigued by the possibility of time travel,
Wells reworked an earlier essay into The
Time Machine (1895). It was an
immediate success.
Other popular fiction followed quickly:
The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896)
The Invisible Man (1897)
The War of the Worlds (1898)
The First Men in the Moon (1901)

Success freed Wells to write fulltimeand, ironically,

to abandon science fiction.
Millions read his best-selling history of the
world, The Outline of History (1920) and
other works.
Wells became increasingly pessimistic. He
died a year after the atomic bombings of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, discouraged
about the future of humanity.

Problems in Victorian England

Poverty
Overcrowding
Low wages
Child labor
Big separation in classes

The Time Machine : Introduction

Is space the final frontier?

The Time Machine : Introduction

What about time?

In The Time Machine a man known

only as the Time Traveller, a brilliant
scientist and inventor, believes
humans can travel through time
in the Time Machine he
has invented.
His friends are skeptical.

He tells them of his rush forward in timeto the year

802,701.
The world is in ruins.

But the people he meetsthe Eloiseem

happy and healthy, although small.

But the Eloi are afraid of something:

the Morlocks,
pale, apelike
creatures who live
underground.

Determined to learn the secrets of this strange place,

the Time Traveller climbs down a mysterious, welllike tunnel

and is nearly captured

by the Morlocks.

What has happened to the human race in 802,701 and what are
some trends in 1895 that the Time Traveller thinks caused those
changes??

Who are the real descendants of

the Time Travellers erathe Eloi
or the Morlocks?

What does H.G. Wells warn his readers about

(whats his messagethe theme of the story)?

H. G. Wells was interested in the impact of scientific and

technological advances on human behavior and society.

How does technology benefit individuals and society?

Are there downsides to rapid advances in science and
technology?

The Time Machine Project: DUE Tuesday, December 15th

Options:
Sandwich book report (**TB 3-6 ONLY)
Character analysis poster
Board game
Audio or video project (a podcast or video reenactment
of a scene from the book, or an interview with a
character). **TB 1 &2 ONLY

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