Is time travel possible?

       Though it may of seemed decades ago that the years of time machines were in our grasps, the science behind these machines is not there. Time is the 4th dimension; it is physically impossible to move around in this dimension with the technology and knowledge we have today. But even if you believe we may obtain this knowledge in the future, then where are the time travelers today from the future? The access to time travel is not available. Although the first two chapters of the book are convincing, the question still arises on how you are supposed to achieve this time traveling state. So is time travel possible? No. It is not.

What is the overall theme that H.G. Wells is trying to portray?

       H.G. Wells is the author of many books. The War of the Worlds like this story are fictional stories, but within this gripping story of a time traveler, the author incorporates science by articulating the likelihood of time travel. The main theme we see in the story, however, is the stunning evolution of the human race that the author foresees. Just like the Time Traveler, the author believes that communism leads to the formation of a capitalist society. This society is eventually reversed after a long period of the capitalists are in charge. The capitalists will become weak and ignorant which will allow Darwinism to take affect in turn flipping the ruling party. The author is wanting to warn us that a communist society, though not immediately, will lead to many dark days in our human history that would compare to the world of 802,701.

How did the Morlock's plan go abruptly wrong?

       After leaving the palace, Weena and the Time Traveler set up camp in the woods with a fire. The fire goes out while they are sleeping, and the Morlocks begin to attack. Suddenly, the forest catches on fire and the Morlocks scrammed, but Weena dies in the fire. The Time Traveler makes his way back to the White Sphinx in outrage. The Time Traveler states, "And now came a most unexpected thing. As I approached the pedestal of the sphinx, I found that the bronze valves were open. They had slid down into grooves." The Time Traveler is excited that he can see him machine within the sphinx, but he knows that it must be a trap, yet he disregards it and enters it. Thinking that he will be fine with his matches, he has nothing to strike them on and the Morlocks jump all over him. The Time Traveler fights them off, puts the levels back in place, and shoots into the future!

Why is the Palace of Green Porcelain important to the story?

       The Time Traveler enters the Palace, which is truly made of green porcelain, with Weena. As they begin to examine the dusty building, the Time Traveler describes the scene. "We found, instead of a customary hall, a long gallery lit by many side windows. At first glance I was reminded of a museum."(85) The building was sincerely a library or some sort of museum. There were books and artifacts scattered about the large building. The dust surrounding the vast variety of information symbolizes the information becoming lost or unused and a loss of civilized nature. The only use of this building now is a path to the underworld of the Morlocks which they protagonists soon find out.

How does the story compare to Darwinism and the survival of the fittest?

        After many years of the capitalists, or the Eloi, being in charge without any work, they became weak.  The proletariat, or the Morlocks, had spent many years working for the Eloi. Now the Eloi are weak, fragile, and ignorant humans while the strong Morlocks are now ruling as the power has switched. The Time Traveler compares that, "The Eloi were mere fatted cattle, which the ant-like Morlocks preserved and preyed upon - probably saw to the breeding of."(83-84) By this the Time Traveler is indicating that in order for Morlocks to survive, they needed to evolve. The only thing that is keeping the Eloi alive is the Morlocks using them as fatted cattle and eating them. Darwinism states that organisms evolve to better suit their environment, and if they don't, than they will become extinct. Although it seems as if the Eloi are more advanced, the Morlocks are the dominant human race.

Why do the Eloi fear darkness?

       The Time Traveler did not understand the Eloi's fear of darkness until after he had visited the voracious Morlocks. As written, "The enemy I dreaded may surprise you. It was the Darkness of the new moon. Ween had put this into my head by some at the first incomprehensible remarks about the Dark Nights."(76) It finally all made sense to the Time Traveler. After his first two hypotheses had been incorrect, his last assumption was correct. The reason for the Eloi's fear of the night was due to the Morlocks; the Morlocks are the cannibalistic race of future humans that eat and stalk the Eloi at night. The Time Traveler now fears for his own life as he travels to a green castle-like building with Weena.

How does the Time Traveler learn more about the Morlocks?

      After much consideration, the Time Traveler concludes that the only way that he will be able to return to his time is to enter a well and try to retrieve his machine. He continues his story, "...so soon as I had struck a match in order to see them, they fled incontinently...some way down the central vista was a little table of white metal, laid with what seemed a meal. The Morlocks at any rate were carnivorous."(72) The Time Traveler notes that this race of future humans were scared of light, and that they eat meat. Yet, as the last match goes out, he is attacked and barely escapes their grasps. He later questions what type of meat it could possibly be and realizes, "...what foul villainy it might be that the Morlocks did under the new moon."(76) He symbolizes that the meat he had seen in the underworld was the Eloi. The Morlocks were cannibalistic.

How is the society comparable to capitalism, according to the Time Traveler?

       After the main protagonist had found the well, he spent much time thinking about what the Morlock's niche was in this society. He concluded that, "...very vaguely there came a suggestion towards the solution of the economic plan that had puzzled me... the gradual widening of the present merely temporary and social difference between the Capitalist and the Labourer, was the key to the whole position."(63-64) This quote allows the reader to fully understand what the Time Traveler is thinking. In the beginning of his trip, he questioned how everything was so self-sufficient; therefore, he indicated communism. But, he never noticed anyone ever working. This new knowledge of the underground civilization allowed him a new conclusion. That the Eloi were the rich capitalist, while the Morlocks were the poor proletariat who had to do all of the work.

Can you explain the significance of the Time Traveler finding a nearby well?

       The Time Traveler keeps learning more about this society. On the Time Traveler's fourth morning, he spots a white creature and freezes, yet he soon gains confidence to follow it. As stated, "I came upon one of those round well-like openings....It (the morlock) was clambering down the wall."(62) This quote allows the time traveler to comprehend the situation. He now knows that there is a whole entire different world or inhabitants underground. The Time Traveler restated the society as not communism, but as a capitalism. He believed that the Eloi were dominating the Morlocks.

How does Weena fully portray the future society of 802,701?

     As no one helped Weena escape from the river, it helps the Time Traveler more fully understand the future. Weena is a typical Eloi character, because she is weak physically and mentally. As stated at the end of Chapter 3, "...struck me as being a very beautiful and graceful creature, but indescribably frail." (29) Meaning that the Eloi had a different appearance than did previous present-day humans. We later learn that they speak as if they are 4 year olds that make noises. Then, once the Time Traveler spends more time with Weena, he finds that "...she dreaded the dark, dreaded shadows, dreaded black things. Darkness to her was the one thing dreadful."(58) Weena, or any of the other Eloi, are fearful of dark things.

Why does Weena become fond of the Time Traveler?

      The next morning after the Time Traveler was done coping with the loss of his machine, the time traveler saves a Eloi named Weena. it was stated, "... I hurriedly slipped off my clothes and wading in at a point lower down, I caught the poor mite and drew her safe to land."(56) The Time Traveler had become her hero, and she became easily intrigued by his nature. He noted something that was more important. "It will give you an idea, therefore, of the strange deficiency in these creatures, when I tell you that non made the slightest attempt to rescue the weakly crying little thing which was drowning right before their eyes."(56) This quote discusses how the Time Traveler continues to question the future, and how society lives.

How is the White Sphinx significant?

     The White Sphinx becomes a literal barrier between him and the past. He does not yet know that his time machine is within it. It states, "Then my eye traveled along to the figure of the White Sphinx upon the pedestal of bronze, growing distinct as the light of the rising moon grew brighter." (44) This contrast the symbolism that a sphinx symbolizes the rise and the fall of the sun (or RA in Egyptian culture) which is what the Morlocks are afraid of.(Morlocks will be discussed in later posts.) It is ironic, however, that the people of 802,701 still worship idols just like the Egyptians had done years ago.

How does the Time Traveler react to the disappearance of his time machine?

       The Time Traveler's trip is prolonged due to the sudden disappearance of his machine. As he approaches the white sphinx (the spot of which he left it),"...my worst fears were realized. Not a trace of the thing was to be seen." (45) He cannot believe that his machine is gone. He continues, "I remember running violently in and out among the moonlit bushes..." (46) This is further discussing his first glimpse of maybe not returning home. He begins to go crazy and frantically runs around the sphinx in search of it. It pushes terror and a sense of adventure onto the reader.

Why does the Time Traveler relate this civilization to communism?

       After he had spent the day analyzing this new world, he makes an assumption about it. He compares it to communism, or a style of government in which private property is eliminated. He reasoned, "...that there were no small houses to be seen. Apparently, the single house, and possibly even the household, had vanished."(37) He later goes on to say that there are some palace-like buildings, but nothing like the houses of the English landscape. He even discusses the similarities in the way that they dress. "But everything was so strange...the children seemed to be the miniatures of their parents."(37) Inferring that the children are not independent and neither are the parents, because they all dress alike. Not only that but he articulated that there was a close resemblance of the sexes too. He finishes by saying that, "We see some beginnings (communism) of this even in our own time, and in this future age it was complete."(38) Meaning that, we have seen communism in Europe in the Soviet Union, but nothing to this extent.

Why is the Time Traveler upset with the world of 802701?

       The Time Traveler had expected to encounter an advanced society, yet he comes to find a place so simple and focused on being pure with nature. For example, "My general impression of the world I saw over their heads was of a tangled waste of beautiful bushes and flowers, a long neglected and yet weedless garden."(32) By this he questioning why did mankind become so stupid and spent time planting flower gardens. He is upset with how much knowledge was just wasted.

How does the time traveler first portray the Eloi people?

The Eloi people "uniformly curly hair, that came to a sharp end at the neck and the cheek; there was not the faintest suggestion of it on the face, and their ears were singularly minute... The eyes were large and mild."(30) He was surprised by the way that the human culture and design had evolved, or should I say devolved. The creature had come up to him making a noise imitating thunder. "The question had come into my (time traveler) abruptly: were these creatures fools?...You see I had always anticipated that the people of Eight Hundred and Two Thousand odd would be incredibly in front of us in knowledge, art, everything."(31) The Time Traveler is upset, because he had portrayed the people of the future to be more advanced.

Why does the Time Traveler show up late?

       The time traveler states that he has taken taken the time machine on a trip into the future. He says that he had decided to test it before the dinner and has actually been gone for a long time. He believes that he has seen the future and it is not so great. "I suppose a suicide who holds a pistol to his skull feels much the same wonder at what was to come next as i felt then."(22) By this, he means that what he had encountered was just as bad as putting a pistol to his head. He lands in the year 802701 and is greeted by the frail and simple future humans. They are known as the Eloi.

Why are the dinner guests impatient and mystified on the next Thursday?

       The guests all arrive at the time traveler's home in Richmond, yet he is not home. He had left a note saying to  begin dinner at seven if he had not returned. While they were eating the time traveler comes through the front door ragged and covered in dirt. He explains, "I'm going to wash and dress, and then I'll come down and explain things..."(17) He denotes that he will give his story once he is cleansed and has eaten. The guests wait impatiently, and he commences his story.

Why are the dinner guests amazed by the time machine prototype?

      The time traveler has been meddling with the art of time travel and has been creating a prototype to see if his creation will work. The narrator describes the prototype as "a glittering metallic framework, scarcely larger than a small clock, and very delicately made. There was ivory in it, and some transparent crystalline substance."(10) He moves on to exemplify that it had taken two years to create. Finally he reaches forward and takes the psychologists hand and hits the lever. A strong wind gusts through the room. The model disappears; everyone is stunned. The Psychologist explains that the machine is now moving so fast that you cant see it anymore just as " the spoke of a wheel spinning or a bullet flying through the air."(12)

How does the Time Traveler explain that time travel is possible to his guests?

       The time traveler is hosting a dinner at his home, yet he brings the other men there for another reason. After dinner he begins discussing time travel. He starts by saying that a cube takes space, like on a graph. It can go left and right on the graph (1st dimension). It can go up and down. (2nd Dimension). It can go a distance, or the y axis (3rd dimension). He goes further to say that time is designated as the 4th dimension. His reasoning is that if you can move in the first three dimensions why not the 4th? His colleagues argue that "...if time really is the fourth dimension, why is it, and why has it always been regarded as something different?"(9) The time traveler finishes by saying that each dimension has its own difficulty to maneuver.