The Invisible Man
Griffin, a great scientist, theorized that if a person's refractive index is changed to exactly that of air and his or her body does not absorb or reflect light then he or she will be invisible. By successfully carrying out this procedure on himself, he couldn’t become visible again. Despite being poor, Griffin desperately roamed through the streets in hope to find a place to stay. Griffin luckily found refuge from one of his colleagues, Dr. Kemp. Griffin and Dr. Kemp try to find a way how to make himself visible again. However Griffin becomes mentally unstable as a result. He steals clothes, food, and goods from others for his own benefit. In the end, Griffin was attacked by a mob in which his body became visible after his death. This focuses on the morality and mentality of scientists.
During the time the story was depicted, science started to expand to new branches such as chemistry and physics in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Studying the properties of light were some of the topics scientists were investigating during that time period. Science began to develop more importantly as a mean of industrial advancement, by applying its abilities to society rather than to explore it. However obtaining funding for particular experiments was very costly during that time. Wells reveals in the novella how Griffin was extremely poor after he left the university. Griffin had to provide his own research facilities and test subjects for his experiments. Scientists had a hard time to find sponsors who would support their experiments and ideas. Society was still focused on living and agriculture more than exploring Science in general.
Same as the context for the time depicted.
This case study focuses on how scientists can turn “mad” after unexpected alterations of their experiments. Griffin finds how to become invisible but is unable to reverse the process. While being unable to grasp the situation, he believed that he is invincible. He commits crimes and puts society at his mercy. Dr. Kemp viewed as a “good” scientist is a protagonist who tried to pull Griffin back to his moral standards. However Dr. Kemp had to put an end to Griffin's ambitions. Lack of morale and motivation support Fraylings and Toumey view of the mad scientist.
Wells, H.G., 1897. Invisible Man. Arthur C. Pearson. Frayling, Christopher. Mad, Bad, and Dangerous?. 1st. London: Reaktion Books LTD, 2005. p. 14, 46 Toumey, Christopher P.. "The Moral Character of Mad Scientists: A Cultural Critique of Science." Science, Technology, & Human Values vol 17. No. 4. Autumn 1992. p. 413-423, p. 429-433. 20 Apr 2009 .
This novella could be used in describing the differences between a moral scientist and a mad scientist. The contrast between Dr. Kemp’s and Griffin’s personalities shows the conflicts scientists’ face in society, which the students can talk about. Students can also view the perspective of the mad scientist of how he or she became mad and why he or she acts that way. Can science advance so quickly to a point that humans aren’t catch up?