The Future vs. the Past Theme Analysis

The Invisible Man was published in 1897, on the brink of a new century and at a time of enormous societal upheaval. Scientific advancements such as the proliferation of electricity and Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution meant that people’s lives and belief systems were changing at an incredible pace. As a result, the novel appears to straddle two worlds: the world of the future and that of the past. In the narrative, the future is associated with urban life and middle-to-upper class people, whereas the past is embodied by the lower-class townspeople of Sussex. The social, economic, and educational barriers preventing lower-class people from accessing scientific knowledge and technology suggest that futurity and progress may remain elusive to much of the population even as scientific advancement and societal change as a whole are accelerating.

Broadly speaking, in the novel, the future is represented by Griffin and Doctor Kemp, whereas the past is embodied by the ordinary townspeople of Iping, a village in Sussex. Griffin and Doctor Kemp met as medical students; although Griffin never qualified as a doctor, both men now practice science (whether officially or surreptitiously) and thus represent scientific knowledge, experimentation, and technological advancement. Furthermore, both are of a higher class status than the other characters and are associated with urbanity, as both hail from London.

In contrast, the people of Iping are provincial and somewhat “backward.” Indeed, when Doctor Kemp arrives in Iping and hears the rumors about the Invisible Man, he reflects: “One might think we were in the thirteenth century.” The townspeople are not well-educated and are of a lower class, as seen by their accents and dialect. The contrast between Griffin and Kemp with the townspeople suggests that the future will be more urban than rural, and will be dominated by scientific knowledge and technological advancement. This reflected (accurate) predictions at the time The Invisible Man was published about what the twentieth century would hold.

The townspeople’s lack of economic, social, and educational privilege means that they are ignorant of the scientific advancements with which Griffin and Doctor Kemp are familiar. This indicates that they may be “left behind” in an increasingly technologically advanced world. Some townspeople, such as Mrs. Hall, pretend to understand Griffin and the work that he conducts in order to appear smart. However, the chaos and confusion caused by Griffin’s arrival in Iping results from the fact that Mrs. Hall and the other townspeople do not understand him and the scientific experiments that have rendered him invisible.

The issue of class tensions come to a head in the relationship between Griffin and Thomas Marvel, a “tramp.” Griffin enlists Marvel to help him, promising him special rewards that he will be able to obtain through his invisibility. He takes advantage of Marvel’s vulnerable status, and when Marvel tries to turn him into the police, Griffin attempts to kill him. The fact that Griffin is invisible astonishes Marvel and makes him agree to serve Griffin. Due to his poverty and lack of education, Marvel is completely powerless compared to Griffin, and Griffin deliberately chooses Marvel as an accomplice because he knows that Marvel is vulnerable. This episode demonstrates how technological advancement in the future may be used to further exploit and oppress vulnerable populations.

The novel ends on an ambivalent note regarding the future and the past, particularly as they are related to different social classes. It is revealed that Marvel remains in possession of Griffin’s notebooks, which contain the instructions to make a person invisible. Although at this point Marvel “has a reputation for wisdom” within the village, he cannot understand the notes, as they have been written in code. As such, there remains a barrier between Marvel and the information that would give him access to “the future”—a future of scientific knowledge and advancement.