Footprints Without Feet

1.0About the Author

Herbert George Wells, who was born on 21st September 1866 in Bromley, England was an English novelist, journalist, sociologist, and historian who was best known for his science fiction novels such as The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds and some famous co mic novels such as Tono-Bungay and The History of Mr. Polly. With his first novel, The Time Machine (1895), which was immediately successful, he began a series of science fiction novels that revealed him as a writer of marked originality. Some of his most famous works are -The Wonderful Visit (1895), The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), The War of the Worlds (1898), The First Men in the Moon (1901), and The Food of the Gods (1904). He died on 13th August 1946 in London.

Central Idea

The story 'Footprints without feet' is about a scientist named Griffin who discovers the rare chemicals which can make a man invisible but, the man can be touched and felt physically. He utilizes his inventions on himself and becomes invisible. After realising his invisibility he misuses his powers.

2.0As Transparent As a Glass of Sheet

Two boys while walking suddenly noticed a few muddy imprints of bare feet. They started wondering what a barefoot man was doing on the steps of a house in the middle of London in the winter season. They also started thinking where was the man as they couldn't see any person anywhere. They suddenly saw another footmark. The man was still invisible. They started following the footprints. They followed them until the footprints became invisible. Actually, the boys had been following a scientist who had discovered how to make the human body invisible.

His name was Griffin and he was the scientist who had been working for a long time to see how to make the human body invisible. One day, while working he consumed certain drugs which made his body invisible, though it could be felt. Griffin was a lawless person as he had once burned down the house of his landlord who was trying to throw him out of the house and then, in order to become invisible just to save himself, he had to remove his clothes and then roam around without clothes and without money. Though his presence was felt after he stepped in some mud and his footprints due to mud become visible as he walked.

He easily escaped the boys who were following him but he had chosen a bad time to wander in London as it was winter season going on and the air was bitterly cold. He decided to stay inside a store for warmth and he went inside the store. As it was the closing time, the doors of the store were shut and nobody was there inside. He became visible again as he wore shoes, an overcoat and a hat. He then found cold meat and coffee in the kitchen and ate them. After that, he ate sweets and drank wine from the grocery store. Then he slept on a pile of quilts kept nearby and slept soundly because of which he could not wake up on time. Next morning, his sleep was disturbed by the sound of assistants who had come to open the store. When the assistants came, they could see Griffin as he was wearing clothes and shoes. So, they started approaching him, which made him nervous, and he started running away. Then the assistants started chasing him realising that he was a thief. Later, he was able to escape because he quickly removed his new clothes. Once again, he was invisible but naked who did not have any money. He was completely naked in the chill air of January.

3.0Griffin-A Lawless Person

Shivering due to the cold, he went to Drury Lane. He silently entered a shop and came out wearing bandages, a fake nose, and a large hat. He attacked the shop-keeper, robbed him, and escaped the scene.

Griffin took the train and went to the village of Iping. For the residents of Iping, a visit by a stranger at that time of the year was not usual. They suspected him. Griffin booked two rooms in a local lodge. Mrs. Hall, the landlord's wife, tried to befriend him, but he was in no mood. He told her that her sole purpose of visiting Iping was to be alone and undisturbed.

Mrs. Hall and his husband both got up early the next day. They saw that the door to Griffin's room was open. They tried to close the door, but there was nobody inside. Mrs. Hall entered the room. Suddenly, the hat leaped up in the air and smashed on her face. The chair came towards her. They both ran out of the room due to these unusual activities.

Mrs. Hall thought that ghosts and spirits had haunted the room. She blamed Griffin for all that mess. The whole neighbourhood suspected him of theft when he produced some cash the next day.

A police constable came to investigate the matter. Before his arrival, Mrs. Hall went to Griffin and asked him about what he had been doing with her furniture, how he entered a locked room.

Griffin became furious. He threw off his bandages and all other apparel. Mr. Jaffers (the constable) arrived at the scene. People were looking at a headless man. He was astonished to learn that he had to arrest a man with no head.

Since it was the magistrate's order, he had to do it. However, after getting a hold of Griffin, he found himself struggling with a man he could not see. Some people tried to help Mr. Jaffers, but they received hits and blows from nowhere. Griffin set himself free, and nobody knew about his whereabouts.

4.0Let's Recall

• This is a story about a scientist named Griffin. He had been finding ways that could make a man invisible. He got success in this experiment. He gulped the drug and became invisible. But he accidentally stepped into mud and was noticed by two boys who followed his footprints till they become vanished.
• As it was winter season, and he was feeling cold, so he entered a store so that he can wear something and can feel warm. After the store shut down, he wore an overcoat, a hat and ate cold meat and sweets. He then slept on a pile of quilts.
• The next morning before he woke up some store associates saw him and started following him. He removed all the clothes instantly and became invisible once again. He started wandering without clothes in chilly winters of London. He then decided to take clothes from a theatrical company as he was sure he would get something there to cover his face too.
• He stole dull glasses, a false nose, a hat and some bandages for covering his face. Then, he went to the shopkeeper's place and stole all his money. He then, realized that London was quite a busy place to hide and to live like that, so he thought of moving to the Iping village.
• He booked two rooms in an inn in the village and reached there. It was quite unusual for the villagers to see an outsider with such a peculiar appearance who had come to stay at a hotel in winters.
• After some days his money got exhausted, so he started stealing from people. He hit the owner and his wife when they attempted to check his room in his absence. As they could not see anyone, the owners thought there were spirits in their inn and that unusual guest is responsible for it.
• At that point, the town constable (Jaffer) was called to investigate the case. Soon, the constable realised that he had to catch a headless man. He tried a lot but could not catch Griffin as he had removed his clothes and was invisible then but was soon knocked down by him. Griffin ran away.