The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

It would be fair to say that we have all wished to be invisible at some time or other, for various reasons and purposes.  But have we ever thought through the practical problems of invisibility?  Would invisible retinas, for example, render us blind?  What would be the mechanism for turning invisible and back again?  What would the moral implications of invisibility be?

Tolkien used invisibility as a device in both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.  In the former, invisibility helped the protagonist avoid capture, rescue his comrades, gather information and to steal.  In the latter, it was mainly used to avoid capture, although invisibility brought with it metaphysical implications that endangered the protagonist on the physical, spiritual and morals level.

In The Invisible Man, H.G. Wells explores the implications of invisibility.  First, there are the practical problems.  The process of becoming invisible, explained in terms of a chemical transformation within the body, is one that is irreversible.  Second, while the protagonist, Griffin, is invisible, his clothes are not - so he has to go about either stark naked or covered head to toe in hat, gloves, clothes and bandages.  Third, there are social consequences: invisibility, or the disguising of it, leads to social exclusion.  Finally, Wells explores the psychological and moral impact invisibility has upon Griffin, and it turns out the effect is baneful rather bountiful.

The tale is told in a breezy and fluid manner.  The action is set in motion and is propelled along at a brisk pace with brief interludes of introspection and explanation.  The fantastic premise of invisibility occurs in a realistic setting, allowing the reader to more readily accept its possibility. The lightness of the narrative style provides a welcome contrast with the darker aspects of the story's content.  As with the some other H.G. Wells' novels (The First Men in the Moon and The Time Machine), the author places an emphasis on the human capacity for evil and injury to others.  All this makes The Invisible Man an enjoyable-to-read but morally challenging novel.