Mr_Shank

I find it confusing that the main character after seeing the heat ray would go home and spend a nice relaxing day at home. just like in most of chapter 9.  for example it says on pg 117 “I got back to lunch about two, very tired for, as I have said the day was extremely hot and dull; and in order to refresh myself I took a cold bath in the afternoon. About half past four I went up to the railway station to get an evening paper, for the morning papers had contained only a very inaccurate description of the killing of Stent, Henderson, Oglivy, and the others.” I find that strange that he nearly died and then he goes home and does nothing to prepare for the martians or is even really worried. Now he did leave with his wife to Leatherhead once the fighting began but in the day before that there were no plans of escape or even really any feelings of sorrow or fear. I believe that the author is trying to make it seem as if we are not really prepared for this war. He might also be foreshadowing how his ordinary life is about to be turned upside down. Maybe just the opposite, he might be saying that after the war is said and done he may go home nearly dying but moving on as if nothing had happened. what do you think? Do you believe that this is a foreshadow of events to come or a general statement about the planet Earth and its occupants? Or do you believe that this has nothing to do with the story and that I do not know what I am talking about and just wasting your time? Go ahead voice your opinion.

Colin Easter

At the end of the first page, H. G. Wells makes what seems to be a sarcastic comment.  ”The planet Mars, I scarcely need to remind the reader, revolves about the sun at a mean distance of 140,000,000 miles, and the light and heat it receives from the sun is barely half of that received by this world.”  This is after a serious sounding opening.  I chose this quote because it was interesting that he put in a sarcastic comment after the previously mentioned opening.  Is he trying to give the novel an unserious tone?  Perhaps he is trying to ridicule scientists because of their almost meaningless statements?  He might just be trying to say that the novel is non-fiction, but why would he do it in this manner?