Sofie Carlsson
English, Grade 10
November 6, 2006


The Invisible Man:
Theme: Corruption of morals in the absence of social restriction.


The Invisible Man is a famous 1987 science fiction novel written by H.G. Wells. It tells the story about a brilliant but obsessed scientist called Griffin who is dedicated in achieving invisibility which he also does. The main theme of the novel is the corruption of morals in the absence of social restriction. H. G. Wells uses the Invisible Man to show how low a person can sink when he does not have any limits or rules that are able control his behavior. This essay follows and gives examples of how the invisible Man is becoming insane by not having to follow the rules of society.
In the beginning of the novel the Invisible Man comes to a small village of Iping in the area of West Sussex. The novel starts about midway into his own story since he has been moving from town to town to keep his cover and to protect the discovery his two acts of violence that he has committed. The Invisible Man has understood that he has made a terrible mistake and that he has to desist it somehow. He decides to go to the small and peaceful town so that he can get some time to work on an antidote for his invisibility.
In the beginning of the book one already can understand that the Invisible Man is quite lonely because he is not very dedicated in talking or communicating to the people of the small village. The major problem with his invisibility is that Griffin isn't able to have any friends. The only time the Invisible Man can communicate to people is when he is wrapped up in bandages and it looks as though he has been in a serious accident. Without the Invisible Man being able to have any human contact or support, he is literally intended to become crazy.
The Invisible Man strongly believes that he is superior to the society and he believes that he can do anything for his own survival, even killing or stealing. One example that proves that the Invisible Man is going insane is when he says, “Not wanton killing, but a judicious slaying.” (p.114). This point proves that the Invisible Man wants to have complete control over everybody through terror and later in the book he states that he wants to start the “Epoch of the Invisible Man.”(ch.27). This point also confirms the Invisible Mans’ thirst for power.
Another point that proves that the Invisible Man is becoming insane and loosing control is in the end of the book as he is talking to Kemp. He says “This is day one of year one of the new epoch—the Epoch of the Invisible Man. I am Invisible Man the First. To begin with the rule will be easy. The first day there will be one execution for the sake of example—a man named Kemp. Death starts for him to-day.” (ch.27).
Because the Invisible Man is mad and the only invisible human being in the world, he also poses a great threat to the community. Through his invisibility the Invisible Man gets great power; he can steal, kill, and he can abuse people without having fear of being caught. When the Invisible Man says; “It's useful in getting away, it's useful in approaching. It's particularly useful, therefore, in killing”(p., one can understand that he is taking use of his invisibility and that he is not very ashamed of becoming a detestable man.
It is certain that the Invisible Man has gone completely insane which is proven in the end of the book as he talks to Kemp and says, “Not wanton killing, but a judicious slaying. The point is, they know there is an Invisible Man -- as well as we known there is an Invisible Man. And that Invisible Man, Kemp, must now establish a Reign of Terror.” (p.114)
It is quite easy to understand that the Invisible Man, Griffin becomes insane. One point and the greatest reason for his craziness is that he doesn’t have to follow any rules since no one can control him which gives his a wide range of opportunities that a normal person is not capable of doing. This temptation is too strong for him to resist and he uses his unique chance.