Time Machine by HG Wells and Class Inequality Essay

Machine

In the novel The Time Machine, there are a number of underlying themes that are discussed. One of the most notable is social inequality and how the main character is trying to address these challenges. To fully understand what is happening, there will be a focus on the ideas illustrated throughout the book. Together, these different elements will provide specific insights as to the relevance of The Time Machine in modern society and the life lessons that it is teaching to everyone.

The Time Machine and Social Inequality

The Time Machine was written and is originally set in the late 1890s. This is when there were a series of technological and social changes. The way that this is occurring, is the Time Traveler (i.e. The main character which is never given a name) is talking with his friends about a fourth dimension. They are skeptical of his views. As a demonstration, he sends a model of a time machine (which he built) back into the past. Everyone is intrigued, but also believes that the Time Traveler is playing some kind of trick. (Vinson) (Hammond) (Wells)

In the next few days, the Time Traveler believes that he has discovered something profound. He is of the opinion that the technological innovations and changes in society will lead to long-term benefits for all of humanity. To satisfy his curiosity, he decides to climb in the time machine and go forward into the future. At first he sees these transformations, with him traveling to the year 802,701 AD. (Vinson) (Hammond) (Wells)

When he arrives, he finds small humanoid creatures called Eloi. They live in a world that is forested and provides them with tremendous amounts of fruit to survive.After walking around the area; is the point that his time machine is taken by the Morlocks. These are humanlike life forms, which live underground and attack the Elois at nights. Their basic purpose is to use the Elois for food and breeding purposes. (Vinson) (Hammond) (Wells)

Realizing what was happening, the Time Traveler is astounded by how humanity has used evolution to create two distinct subspecies. One that is sustained on the other (i.e. The Eloi) and the higher life form which rules over them (i.e. The Morlocks). This angers the Time Traveler to the point that he must prevent these injustices from occurring in the future. (Vinson) (Hammond) (Wells)

At the same time, the Morlocks have taken his time machine and he must go to where they live to retrieve it. During this process, a battle ensues and he kills a large number of Morlocks. However, they trap him near the time machine and he jumps in to escape. Traveling into the future, the Time Traveler makes a number of stops. When this is happening, he sees how life is continually evolving and is attacked by giant crabs on a beach. He then travels thirty million years ahead and discovers that the atmosphere of the planet is very thin….....