Saturday, 20 February 2016

Important facts about Griffin (the Invisible Man), the protagonist of the novel ‘The Invisible Man’ written by H. G. Wells.

Important facts about Griffin (the Invisible Man), the protagonist of the novel ‘The Invisible Man’ written by H. G. Wells.
I
Griffin was a scholar student of the University College, junior to Dr. Kemp. He had also won gold medal in chemistry, but he shifted his interest to physics as the topic of light attracted him very much.
He was a boy of 22 at that time full of enthusiasm to devote his whole life in his aim to discover the theory of invisibility. He was strongly built person of six feet in height, an albino with pink and white face having red eyes.
Griffin was a man of strong will power, and he devoted several years of hard work and exasperation in his research work.
His craziness to achieve his invisibility formula makes him emotionless person and eccentric also. It makes him the most selfish person. It is due to the lack of emotions that he robbed his old father of the money that belonged to some other person. As a result his father shoots himself to save his honour. But Griffin blames his father for being sentimental.
The people of Iping were amazed to see him in unusual dress.
Griffin had several negative points in his personality. His aggressive and deep-rooted irritable nature was not liked by the peace-loving people of Iping. We find several examples of his irritable nature and aggression. Mrs. and Mr. Hall, Mr. Cuss, Mr. Bunting, Dr. Kemp, Thomas Marvel and several other persons like the village constable, some persons at the inn ‘Jolly Cricketers’ were the victims of his irritable and aggressive nature.
Griffin was not only short-tempered and aggressive, but he was law-breaker also. He committed thefts several times. We come to know about his lawlessness as the story of the novel proceeds further. He steals money from Mr. Bunting’s house. Then in the chapter 22 (In The Emporium), his attempt to steal some clothes failed, but in the chapter 23 (In Drurry Lane), he succeeded in stealing a mask, dark glasses, grayish whiskers and a wig.
The activities of stealing money were small thefts for him. But he proved himself to be the most selfish and detestable person when he robbed his own father of the money that belonged to someone else. The old man could not bear the loss and public humiliation and killed himself. Griffin, in spite of showing regret at the tragic incident, blamed his father for being sentimental.
The way he treated Mr. Marvel and the way he stayed at Dr. Kemp’s house were the examples of his being a lawless person. He damaged the window-glasses of the ‘Coach and Horses’, ‘Jolly Cricketers’ and Dr. Kemp’s house.
Griffin did crime against humanity in killing Col. Adye and Mr. Wicksteed and also when he made his plan to establish the reign of terror by killing his own species. But he could not do so as Dr. Kemp had informed about his cruel intentions on time to the police chief.
Thus we find a waste of talent in Griffin when he chose a wrong way to misuse what he had discovered. Had he opted for the right path, he would have gained reputation.

Other questions about Griffin

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