Herbert George Wells Essay, Research Paper
In History, many writers have tried to touch on stories of science fiction, but were not too successful. One man though, by the name of Herbert George Wells has been considered by some to be the father of modern science fiction.(GeoCities.com) H.G. Wells as some may call him, have had various books, and stories that has made him very famous in the great book world around the nation, as far as modern science fiction goes. Wells best know books include, ? The Time Machine?, ?The Invisible Man?, ?The War of the Worlds and ?The Island Of Dr. Moreau.” Out of 100 Books Wells wrote fifty of them were top sellers across the United States and many parts of the world. Many Critics seen Well’s as a crazy and loony writer because of his illusional mind, But Wells seen his work as a piece of the world that everyone was afraid to touch on, but Wells was the crazy writer that did so. As far as many people were concerned, Wells was considered a great author for his work and one of the best authors of his time because of his imagination and delusional sense of mind. His writings were not like any others because he always wrote about the other side of the world no one dare?s t touch alien?s and the world ending at that time. Now many writers have free-fall writing about science fiction because of our more sense on the science fiction life. Wells can be responsible for why we now talk about science fiction, Because in this world many things are still to be discovered and taught about and some people are too scared and afraid to see what is out there and when Wells found science fiction a whole new door opened. At the time this made him different from many writers because of his subjects but he was just as good as good as some and better than a lot. His sense and wonder for science fiction made him unique and very fascinating to the reader world. At First people we scarred to read Wells writing because they didn?t know what to expect from a science fiction writer but once they got a hold of his first book they were fascinated, and that?s how Wells succeeded. H.G.Wells had a past that was similar to many great writers but his unique backgrounds made him different. Wells was born in Bombay, Kent in 1866.(Geocities.com). His father was a shopkeeper, even though being a shopkeeper wasn?t a great job’ during those times but Wells father had a family to tend too so he had to do what he had to do. His mother on the other hand served from time to time and, also was a housekeeper at the newly estate. His father?s business failed and to elevate the family to middle class status, Wells apprenticed like his brothers to a draper, spending the years between the years of 1880 and 1883 in Wilson and South sea.(kirjasto.sci.fi/hgwells.com) His career as an author was fostered by unfortunate accident as a young child. He broke his leg in 4 places and spent a mandatory of the time resting and reading almost every book he could find(kirjasto.sci.fi/hgwells.htm). In 1883 Wells became a teacher/pupil at Midwest Grammar School. He was a very good teacher and many of students and staff seen him as a good and great teacher because of his ways he carried on his teaching and the was he taught his literary work. He obtained a scholarship to the Normal School of Science in London and studied their biology under T. H. Huxley.(kirjasto.sci.fi/hgwells.htm) He majored in biology and science and earned his degrees, this had a lot to do with how he got his knowledge for science fiction books and why he was so good at his work. However his intent fluted and in 1887, he left without a degree. He taught in private schools for four years, not taking his Bachelor?s degree until 1890. The next year he settled in London and by accident he married his cousin. Her name was Isabel, unfortunately he fell in love with her and forced her to marry him, but when he found out it was his cousin he had to let her go. Wells continued his career as a teacher in a correspondence college but for the next year, he became a full time writer and he did what he loved to do. As a novelist Wells made his debut book called ?The Time Machine? a book of great english novel that showed a lot of people what science fiction was all about. Wells had many more novels to write but the book he wrote ?The Time Machine? boosted his career and helped people to realize what he was capable of and what to expect in the future.
H. G. Wells was a suspense grabber and he knew how to grab the reader and make the reader feel as if he or she was seeing the real thing as they read. For example On Halloween night in 1938 Orson Wells and the Mercury Theater broadcasted a dramatization of H.G. Wells? famous tale ?War of The Worlds? which recounted a Martians invasion of the Earth. The adaptation includes realistic radio news bulletins informing listeners of the developing saga. A music program was interrupted to brief listeners that an alien object had landed in Grover? s Mill, N. J. ?News Announcers? describe the terrifying events as they unfold. Although Wells informed listeners at the start of the program that they were listening to a fictional radio drama, thousands of listeners who tuned in late believed the Earth was indeed under alien attack and panic soon followed.(www.ecyclopedia.com) Wells claimed that the broadcast was never intended to fool people or trick them but he wished to present a great Halloween tale. It was, he said, ?the Mercury Theater?s own radio version of dressing upon a sheet and jumping out of a bush saying ?boo!? In either case, it turned out to be one the biggest Halloween stories ever told. The whole episode tries to illustrate a number of things about mass psychology, but also about the willingness of people in the 1930?s to believe that we are not alone in the universe
Before the “War of the Worlds” Wells had many novels that were very popular. One novel was the great book “The Time Machine” which was a story about a time traveler that travels back into the time 802701 ad find two magnificent people, the Eloi; weak and little, who lived above ground and the Morlocks, carnivorous creatures that live below ground. All of the realism of the was achieved by carefully studied technical details. The technical details of the story made this novel one of the best that Well is achieved but the novel was not as big as some of the others that were written.
As Wells life went on, he wrote stories such as “The Island of Dr. Moreau.”(kirjasto.sci.fi/hgwells.htm) This story had dramatic effects of horror as well as comedy. The novel was about a mad scientist who transformed real animals into real human creatures. Many people thought this novel was his best, but some still felt different. The next novel was “The Invisible Man.” This was Faustian story of a scientist who tampered with nature in pursuit of superhuman powers.(kirjasto.sci.fi/hgwells.htm) Nothing like this was brought into the novel scene until Well’s start writing novels and stories about this supernatural stuff and the science fiction world. What is unique and interesting about this novel, it was so good that it was turned into a movie later down the line. Wells gained a lot of knowledge and respect for his books he wrote. But he was shortly recognized after a book was published, but he tried his hardest to get his achievement and acknowledgment, so every story he wrote was better than the last. Wells was rumored to have worked with one of the greatest authors ever known other than his self. French novelist Jules Verne, a great French author who was rumored to have criticized Wells work. The two worked together and traded comments and ideas about the book (geocities.com). Afterwards Well’s wrote “The First Man on the Moon” which was a prophetic description of the methodology of space flight. After succeeding in that book, Wells went further and wrote the “War in the Air”. This was about a hybrid that places Kipps-like Cockney hero in the context of a catastrophic aerial war (www.kirjasto.sci.fi/h.g.wells.htm.) Although Wells novels were highly entertaining, he also tried to pave way for a wiser attitude about the future of mankind. After writing “The First Men on the Moon” and the “War In the Air” Wells was dissatisfied with his literary work. This turn in his life he wrote “Love and Mr. Lewisham”. In addition, during change in Wells’s life “The New Machiavelli” which was a story about the outbreak of the war in 1914 (www.kirjasto.sci.fi/h.g.wells.htm). Wells was involved in a love affair with the young English author Rebecca West, which influenced his work and life deeply. Rebecca changed him in many ways. Wells next novel was “The outline of History which became very popular. Here is a very popular quote from that novel, “The professional military mind is by necessity an inferior and unimaginative mind; nominee of high intellectual quality would willingly imprison his gifts in such calling.” This quote along with his many novels gave Wells a good reputation and he became kind of a celebrity. In 1917 he was a member of Research Committee for the League of Nations and published several books about the world organization. In the early 1920’s, he was a labor candidate for Parliament.
Between the years 1924 and 1933, Wells lived mainly in France. From 1934 to 1946, he was the International president of Pen. In 1934, he had discussions with both Stalin and Roosevelt, trying to recruit them to his world-saving schemes. However, he despaired of the whole business when the global war broke the peace for the second time. Wells was a very high achiever and succeeded through life doing what he did best, write (this whole paragraph www.kirjasto.sci.fi/.h.g.wells.htm).
During Wells later years, he still kept the books rolling and best sellers coming. Wells Last book “Mind at the End of it?s Tether in 1945, this book expressed pessimism about mankind’s future prospects in life. The book touched on the base of what Wells believed the world was going to be about in the future after Wells died. Wells standpoint in this book was to show that the world was headed and how he seen the world developing. Most people believed that when he wrote this book, that the whole point was not just to make people scared or anything like that but to wake up the reader and give them a thought of the world in the future. This gave most readers a thrill on how they seen the book and pin pointed each individual standout of the book contrasting towards the development of the book. On August 13th, 1946, Herbert George Wells died of a massive heart attack in London, England.(www.kirjasto.sci.fi/hgwells.htm) Even after his death, the people still remember his work and well being towards the book world. Even today many authors keep the respect they gained from Wells by reading his books and great novels. Wells will always be know as the father of modern science fiction.