READERS GUIDE

Questions and Topics for Discussion

1. 1. However fantastic, H. G. Wells’s works often contain allegorical meanings and themes that point to real-world conflicts, social conditions, and political ideas. Discuss some of the ways in which The Invisible Man might be construed allegorically.

2. 2. What do you think The Invisible Man has to say about the relationship between science and morality?

3. 3. Would you say that the narrator of The Invisible Man is sympathetic to Griffin? If so, in what ways or with what qualifications?

4. 4. Does Griffin’s character change during the course of the narrative? If so, how and why, and to what effect?

5. 5. Is there a moral to this story? If so, what would you say it is?

6. 6. Compare Wells’s creation to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Are there similarities?

7. 7. The Invisible Man combines elements of comedy and tragedy. Do you think the particular blend Wells devises is effective?

8. 8. The subject of countless film adaptations and retellings, The Invisible Man ranks as one of the most popular nineteenth-century tales. What do you think accounts for its enduring appeal?