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The Time Machine
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The Time Machine (1895) (edit title/settings)

by H. G. Wells (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

The story that launched Wells's successful career-the classic tale of the Time Traveler and the extraordinary world he discovers in the far distant future. A haunting portrayal of Darwin's evolutionary theory carried to a terrible conclusion. Wells story is darker than the movie versions.

Summary edit see section history

The time machine, a science fiction novel written by H G Wells was published in 1895. Later it was adapted in two films, a TV series and some comics till now. The book’s protagonist is a man, named time traveler by the narrator. It is a short novel but has all the ingredients for a good yarn,... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

The time machine, a science fiction novel written by H G Wells was published in 1895. Later it was adapted in two films, a TV series and some comics till now. The book’s protagonist is a man, named time traveler by the narrator. It is a short novel but has all the ingredients for a good yarn, a device called time machine and a whole unknown and unexpected future waiting for us a way ahead. I should already tell you that this book is absolutely not about building time machine and is totally about a journey to the future and the time machine is merely a literary device to facilitate the journey. The story begins when time traveler shows his friends a small device what he claims is a time machine. At first everyone was expecting it to be some kind of trick but when he manages to make it vanish into air, everyone is amazed. Then he takes all of his friends to his laboratory to show them a real bigger model of his time machine which is not yet completed and asks them to come next week again and he will provide them with a proof that he can time travel. On a day in next week he arrives late in a disheveled state to a dinner party he had organized for his friends, waiting for him to reveal the mystery of time traveling. Than after having a meal he starts telling them story about his 8 day visit to future which he started same day in the morning in present. He went thousands of years ahead in future and to be specific it was year A.D. 802,701. At that time human beings have evolved into two species – Eloi, a society of small childlike frugivores living on land and light fearing Morlocks living underground. Initially time traveler is unable to understand the relation between them and his theory of their relation keeps on changing as he spends time. Later he finds that his time machine is missing and he is trapped in future. For some time he keeps on roaming like a madman exploring the new world but somehow gets to know that his time machine is hidden under a nearby structure with heavy doors, locked from the inside. In due course he gets engaged in an affectionate relationship with a girl Weena an Eloi, who is fond of him. He also had some wild encounters with underground Morlocks but anyhow he survived them. To say more would be to give away too much of plot. The beauty of this book is the fantasy of author about the future which is totally different as one could think of based on present scenario. According to author in future, intellect and strength are no more advantageous for survival. Weena’s unrestricted love to time traveler despite of language difference and no previous shared history shows that human emotions continues even when there is no similarity in the lifestyle as compared to present. Overall this book is a wonderful experience.

Characters edit see section history

  • The Time Traveller: The book's protagonist, an English scientist and inventor who builds the time machine.
  • Weena: An Eloi woman
  • Filby: A scientist who is invited to the Time Traveler's lecture. Very critical and somewhat stubborn
  • The Medical Man: A listener to the time traveler's tale
  • The Very Young Man: A listener to the time traveler's tale.
  • The Editor: A daily newspaper editor who is present at both of the time traveller's tellings
  • The Provincial Mayor: one of the men that listen to the time traveller's initial thoughts on the machine
  • The Psychologist: A listener to the time traveler's tale. Very critical.
  • The Narrator: Unnamed listener to the time traveler's tale; very inquisitive and seems to believe the time traveler.
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “I suppose a suicide who holds a pistol to his skull feels much the same wonder at what will come next as I felt then.”
    The Time Traveler
  • “"Don't you think you would attract attention?" said the Medical Man. "Our ancestors had no great tolerance for anachronisms"”
    The Medical Man
  • “Nature never appeals to intelligence until habit an instinct are useless.”
    The Time Traveler
  • “There is no intelligence where there is no change and no need of change.”
    The Time Traveler
  • Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
  • ‘It is a law of nature we overlook, that intellectual versatility is the compensation for change, danger and trouble. An animal perfectly in harmony with its environment is a perfect mechanism. Nature never appeals to intelligence until habit and instinct are useless. There is no intelligence where there is no change and no need of change.
    Highlighted by 10 Kindle customers
  • We are kept keen on the grindstone of pain and necessity, and, it seemed to me, that here was that hateful grindstone broken at last!
    Highlighted by 9 Kindle customers
  • There is no difference between Time and any of the three dimensions of Space except that our consciousness moves along it.
    Highlighted by 6 Kindle customers
  • His flushed face reminded me of the more beautiful kind of consumptive – that hectic beauty of which we used to hear so much.
    Highlighted by 6 Kindle customers
  • The whole world will be intelligent, educated and cooperating; things will move faster and faster towards the subjugation of Nature. In the end, wisely and carefully we shall readjust the balance of animal and vegetable life to suit our human needs.
    Highlighted by 6 Kindle customers
  • ‘I grieved to think how brief the dream of the human intellect had been. It had committed suicide. It had set itself steadfastly towards comfort and ease, a balanced society with security and permanency as its watchword, it had attained its hopes – to come to this at last. Once, life and property must have reached almost absolute safety. The rich had been assured of his wealth and comfort, the toiler assured of his life and work. No doubt in that perfect world there had been no unemployed problem, no social question left unsolved. And a great quiet had followed.
    Highlighted by 6 Kindle customers
  • This has ever been the fate of energy in security; it takes to art and to eroticism, and then come languor and decay.
    Highlighted by 5 Kindle customers
  • The Time Traveller smiled. ‘Are you so sure we can move freely in Space? Right and left we can go, backward and forward freely enough, and men always have done so. I admit we move freely in two dimensions. But how about up and down? Gravitation limits us there.’
    Highlighted by 5 Kindle customers
  • There were no hedges, no signs of proprietary rights, no evidences of agriculture; the whole earth had become a garden.
    Highlighted by 4 Kindle customers
  • ‘Then I tried to preserve myself from the horror that was coming upon me, by regarding it as a rigorous punishment of human selfishness. Man had been content to live in ease and delight upon the labours of his fellow man, had taken Necessity as his watchword and excuse, and in the fulness of time Necessity had come home to him.
    Highlighted by 3 Kindle customers
Show all 14 quotes from this book

Organizations edit see section history

First Sentence edit see section history

The Time Traveller (for so it will be convenient to speak of him) was expounding a recondite matter to us.

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 797 of 1271 in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. (authoritative list)

Preceded by The Island of Dr. Moreau, and followed by Effi Briest.

This is book 2 of 24 in io9 Science Fiction 101. (community list)

Preceded by Frankenstein, and followed by A Princess of Mars.

This book is in Penguin's Top 100 Classics. (authoritative list)
This book is in Penguin Classics. (edition-based publisher list)
This is book 36 of 100 in National Public Radio's Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy. (authoritative list)

Preceded by A Canticle for Leibowitz, and followed by Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

This book is in Guardian 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read. (authoritative list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. H. G. Wells (Author)

Other Contributors:

  1. Greg Bear (Introduction)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: William Heinemann
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Date: 1895
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 272

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: PR5774
  • Dewey: 823.912

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Young Adults

Some violence

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • Frankenstein
  • Dracula
  • The Complete Sherlock Holmes, Volume 1
  • A Journey to the Center of the Earth
  • The Complete Sherlock Holmes (Volume 2)

Books That Influenced This Book edit see section history

   
  • The Chronic Argonauts

Books Influenced by This Book edit see section history

   
  • Die Rückkehr der Zeitmaschine
  • The Space Machine
  • Morlock Night
  • The Time Ships

Books That Cite This Book edit see section history

   
  • Physics of the Impossible

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