The Time Machine, Character Watcher, Erin Campbell
First of all I will be following the character of the time traveler. He seems to be an interesting character. He is quite obviously incredibly smart or a genious, but it seems at this point he may be verging on insanity. This is atleast the view of the host’s guests. They think this because of his absurd stories of time travel. We do not know much personal information about the character, however. For instance, the author does not tell the reader his name, or anyone’s name in that matter. We do know that he is a very bold man. While in a room filled with people he does not seem to have any problem voicing his opinion, even when he is being judged by them. This is made even more evident by the contrast of the timid people in the room. Other people seem to have a problem believing him because of his ingeniousness. As the narrator says if someone else would have told his tales he would have been more likely to believe them. The description of the character after he returns from “time traveling” is quite absurd.
“His coat was dusty and dirty, and smeared with green down the sleeves; his hair disordered, and as it seemed to me grayer- either with dust and dirt or because its color had actually faded. His face was ghastly pale; his chin had a brown cut on it- a cut half-healed; his expression was haggard and drawn, as by intense suffering.”
So my questions to you are:
1. Is the time traveler insane or did he actually discover the way to travel through time?
2. What is the reason for the author not using anyone’s names?
3. What do think the reason for his appearance is?
~Erin C.
Category: Character Watcher 5 comments »
March 21st, 2009 at 4:08 pm
1. Ok First of all I do not think that the time traveler is insane. I think that he actually did discover the secret to time travel. Why would he have a cut half healed in a few hours? He seems to be aged by experience, kind of like post traumatic stress disorder and the soldiers from war. They have seen such intense things but later in life they seem to go crazy with the knowledge they hold. I believe the same type of thing may have happened to the time traveler.
2. I think it may just be a H.G. Wells thing. He does not use names in The War of the Worlds and not here either. He might just do that to build interest or he to get the reader to focus on the plot. That is what I beileve.
3. I think the reason for his appearence is that he may have been in the future and he was there for a while but he may have been hunted or attacked. Why would you come back so soon if you were in a distant future? Wouldn’t you stay for a while and enjoy it. I believe the time traveler was tortured or could not handle the future and in a scramble reached the time machine and came back to the present.
March 22nd, 2009 at 8:59 am
Sonam Sherpa
1. I also agree with Taran, I do not believe that the time traveler is insane, in fact he may be more sane than even the people around him. What I mean by this is that he is not being ignorant and following the ideas of great men before him, but instead he is blazing his own trail through the conception of time. And since Taran has already mentioned some examples of how the time traveller had truly time travelled I shall not bother to restate it. So to go back to my point I would like to say that the main reason why his colleagues don’t believe him is because his intelligence is far too advanced for them to comprehend.
2. Like Taran has already said I would just like to say that it isn’t uncommon for H.G.Wells to not use names for his narrators. This could be because he wants the reader to focus on the actual storyline instead of small details like names.
3. I think, much like Taran, that the time traveller had been to the future and somehow he had ended up being assaulted. If his dream was to time travel and he was so eager to do it, then why would he bother to come back after only a short time? Or another situation could be that everyone in the future was extremely intelligent and he felt no longer special, or was considered an outsider.
March 22nd, 2009 at 11:10 am
Colin Easter
1. The Time Traveller is not insane, but he might be a bit quirky. The proof for his time travel has already been presented with the model that he used when the group was with him. He had one of the members of the group press the handle and the model disappeared. Therefore, we already know that the time machine will be able to work.
2. The reason that the author doesn’t use names is most likely because their professions are of more use to the reader. In this kind of story (science-fiction), would it mean more to the reader about what “Dash” says or what a doctor says? Obviously the doctor has additional meaning than just a name.
3. His appearance shows that he hasn’t been through happy days in the future. Before he tells his story, he mentions that he “lived eight days”. This means that he spent eight days in the future or a combination in the future and past. Therefore, his appearance had to be caused by events occurring in eight days time. It is likely that he had to run through the wilderness, was attacked, or was being chased. The author also uses the Time Traveller’s appearance to build suspense.
April 5th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
I think he actually discovered a way to travel through time becasue his stories were so detailed. When he came back he seemed like he really did, not like he was acting or anything.
I think he wants us to remember the characters for what the they do and what they say rather than their names.
Well if he was time traveling he probablly wasnt able to really take care of him self. H wasw also probably ina state of panic.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:42 am
Who wrote that last comment?
Good work Erin. Strong questions and good analysis. Watch your spelling…genius…
As for your second question, about the lack of names, I think you need to look beyond just the fact that it’s a Wellsian thing. Colin seemed to be onto something…