The Time Machine A Social Critique - 1870 Words

The Time machine is a social critique of H.G Wells’s Victorian England projected into the distant future. The author was known for his Socialist and Communist leanings and propogated the fact that Capitalism is one of the greatest evils of modern society . His major target has always been the elitist branch of evolution - Social Darwinism. An offshoot of Darwin’s ‘ origin of species ‘ theory , Social Darwinism misapplied the idea of natural selection to justify the stratification between the rich and poor. In ‘ The time machine ‘ Wells shows first how far human evolution can go if Capitalism isn’t put to an end : mankind will split into two distinct species, The ruling class ( Eloi) and working class (Morlocks ) . H.G Wells’s portrayal of†¦show more content†¦Through the intertwined symbolism of darkness and light, Wells leads readers to the conclusion that good and evil are inseparable in the human psyche. Weena’s Flowers The time traveller values intelligence above all other human traits, and he is disappointed that future humans are not only unintelligent, but also weak, silly, and uncurious. For a while, his relationship to the Eloi is defined only by intellectual interest and not by real empathy, but it is through his friendship with Weena that he begins to feel true affection for and identification with these creatures. Put another way, it is in the kindness of the Eloi that the Time Traveller can locate their humanity. Weena loves putting flowers in the Time Traveller’s pockets (she treats his pockets like â€Å"an eccentric kind of vase for floral decoration†), and this gesture represents the kind nature of the Eloi. Weena’s flowers are also the only piece of compelling evidence of his travels that the Time Traveller brings back to the present, and they represent hope for humanity in the face of such a bleak tale of the future of mankind. As the narrator notes, the flowers serve â€Å"to witness that even when mind and strength had gone, gratitude and mutual tenderness still lived on in the heart of man.† The White Sphinx So the first thing the Time Traveller sees upon arriving in the future is the statue of the White Sphinx.Show MoreRelatedEssay about The Time Machine: A Social Critique of Victorian England1727 Words   |  7 PagesWells was cynical of the Victorian class system and thoroughly disapproved of the way people were segregated, according to their wealth. Wells disagreed with England’s capitalist views, as he himself was a socialist. His novel The Time Machine is primarily a social critique of Victorian England projected into the distant future. He has taken segregation to its extremes and shows how far human evolution will go if capitalism continues unhindered. 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