War of the Worlds
H.G. Wells wrote The War of the Worlds between 1895-97, while living in Surrey, southeast of London. The story was serialized in both Britain and the US in 1897, and published as a standalone novel in 1898. Writing in a breathless journalistic style, Wells drew upon his intimate familiarity locations in both London and its southeastern suburbs to fill the story with realistic detail. As this user-made map demonstrates (link), anyone familiar with London would likely feel a chill as they read descriptions of the Martians’ attack and its aftermath.
Reading: H.G. Wells The War of the Worlds. (If you didn’t buy the book, you can find it online at Project Gutenberg).
Writing: Respond to ONE of the following prompts. Keep your response short, posting as a reply under the appropriate heading in the comments section:
- A notable futurist, Wells foresaw the development of many 20th-century technologies. Focusing on a particular technology employed by his Martians, how does it compare to the way technology played out in the real world?
- Wells got his start as a social critic, famed for his embrace of socialism under the banner of the Fabian Society. Focusing on a particular passage, explain how it functions as a critique of English society—or British Imperialism.
- Using the map linked above, visit a location described in the book. Upload a photograph along with your impression of how the site corresponds with Wells’ description. (Regents’ Park is a particularly good location for this assignment, not far from your Soc Sci classroom.)