Footprints Without Feet

 

Herbert George Wells

The story Footprints without Feet describes the story of a brilliant scientist, Griffin, who degenerated himself into a lawless person. Griffin discovered that the human body could become transparent and invisible. He misused it to threaten, trouble and beat innocent persons and rob them.

Summary

This is quite an interesting story about a scientist named Griffin. He had been finding ways that could make a man invisible. He got success in his experiment a developed a formula with which he can become invisible, but can be touched and felt physically. Griffin gulped the drug and became invisible. He accidentally stepped in mud and was first seen by two young men who followed his footprints till it becomes faint. He was walking on roads and was feeling cold, so he enters a shopping centre to feel warm. After the stores shut down, he chooses to wear some comfortable garments and eat something. He initially unpacks a couple of garments and wears them. At that point from the kitchen of a café, he eats cold meat and some espresso. Later he decided to sleep on a heap of quilts in a store. The next morning before he wakes up some store associates had seen started following him. He removed all the clothes instantly and became invisible once again. Now he is wandering without clothes in chilly winters of London. He then decides to take clothes from a theatre company as he was sure he will get something there to cover his face too. He has stolen dull glasses, bogus nose, and a hat and some bandages for covering his face. Then, he goes to a shopkeeper’s place and stole all his money. Soon he realizes London is quite a busy place to live like this, so he thought of moving to the Iping village. He booked two rooms in a hotel in the village and reached there. It is quite unusual for the villagers that an outsider with such a peculiar appearance has come to stay at a hotel throughout winter. After some time his money exhausted, and he started stealing from people. Furthermore, he hit the owner and his wife when they attempt to check his room in his absence. As they cannot see anyone the owners thought there were spirits in the inn and that unusual guest is responsible for it. At that point, the town constable is requested to inquire in regard to what his identity is and what he did to her furnishings. This made him annoy and decides to show his identity as a headless man. They cannot catch hold of Griffin as he takes off all his garments and become invisible.

 

Read and Find Out

1. How did the invisible man first become visible?

Ans: Griffin was completely invisible until he happened to step in some mud, which caused him to leave footprints as he walked. Two boys noticed these footprints and followed him as long as the prints were visible. Griffin, on getting rid of them, went into a big London store to put on some warm clothes. After the store was shut, he got himself dressed in an overcoat and a wide-brimmed hat. He also put on a pair of shoes. This made him visible to the people who came to work at the store the next day.

 

2. Why was he wandering the streets?

Ans: Griffin was a lawless person. His landlord disliked him and tried to get rid of him. In revenge, Griffin set fire to his house. He had to remove his clothes to get away without being noticed. This was why he had become a homeless wanderer—without clothes and money.

 

1. Why does Mrs Hall find the scientist eccentric?

Ans: The arrival of a stranger at an Inn in winter was in itself a strange occurrence. In addition, the stranger had an uncommon appearance. In spite of Mrs Hall’s repeated attempts to be friendly, he would respond in a cold manner. He told her that he had no desire to talk and wanted to live in solitude. He did not wish to be disturbed in his work. For all these strange reasons, she regarded him as an eccentric scientist.

 

2. What curious episode occurs in the study?

Ans: A clergyman and his wife were awakened by some strange noises in the study very early in the morning. Creeping downstairs, they heard the chink of money being taken from the clergyman's desk. He and his wife looked under the desk and behind the curtains, and even up the chimney. There wasn't a sign of anybody. Yet the desk had been opened and the housekeeping money was missing.

 

3. What other extraordinary things happen at the Inn?

Ans: The landlord and his wife were surprised to see the door of scientist's room open. Usually it is shut and locked and Griffin becomes furious if anyone enters his room. So They did not want to miss this opportunity. They peeped round the door, and finding nobody inside, decide to enter and investigate. The bedclothes were cold, showing that the scientist must have been up for some time now. All of a sudden Mrs. Hall heard a sniff close to her ear. A moment later the hat on the bed suddenly leapt up and dashed itself onto her face. Then the bedroom chair became alive. Springing into the air, it charged straight at her legs. As she and her husband turn away in terror, the extraordinary chair pushed them both out of the room and then appeared to slam and lock the door after them. Mrs. Hall almost fell down the stairs in hysterics. She was, by now, convinced that the room was haunted by sprits and the stranger had somehow caused these to enter into the furniture.

 

1. “Griffin was rather a lawless person.” Comment.

Ans: It is rightly said that Griffin was a lawless person. A person who follows law and order of the country cannot think of damaging other's property. But Griffin set fire to the house and became a homeless wanderer. He also robbed a shopkeeper of all the money he could find. He also stole the housekeeping money from the clergyman's desk. Griffin also attacked Mrs. Hall when she entered his room. All these activities and instances prove that he was not a law abiding citizen.

 

2. How would you assess Griffin as a scientist?

Ans: After repeated experiments, Griffin had discovered how to make the human body invisible. This was a big achievement. However, he misused his discovery for personal gains and for hurting others. Thus, though he can be termed as a brilliant scientist, he was not a noble one.

 

Message

The lesson gives a message that misuse of science and its great discoveries can make even a brilliant scientist like Griffin a monster and a threatening lawless person.

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