Footprints without Feet

 

Introduction:

“Footprints without Feet’ is written by H.G. Wells. It is a story about a scientist who finds a rare drug to become invisible. How does he use his discovery? For the benefit of society or for the benefit of himself?

About the author:

Herbert George Wells, also known as H.G. Wells, was a renowned British author who is famous for his science fiction works such as ‘The Time Machine’ and ‘The War of the Worlds’. H. G. Wells is aptly called the father of science fiction. He was born on September 21, 1866, and died on August 13, 1946.  

Summary:

The story takes off when the two boys come across fresh muddy imprints of a pair of bare feet in the middle of London. These footprints belonged to a scientist who had just discovered how to make the human body transparent. The scientist called Griffin had carried out experiment after experiment to prove that the human body could become invisible. He swallowed some rare drugs and became completely invisible. Though he was a brilliant scientist, Griffin did not follow the law. He had escaped after setting his landlord’s house on fire. Thus he became a homeless wanderer, without clothes, without money, and quite invisible - until he happened to step in some mud, and left footprints as he walked.

It was mid-winter in London, the air was bitterly cold and Griffin could not do without clothes. So, he decided to slip into a big London store for warmth. As soon as the doors were shut Griffin found enough clothing and food for himself without having to spend any money. But the next morning, he did not wake up before the arrival of the assistants. When he saw them, he panicked and began to run. The only way for Griffin to escape was by taking off his clothes. So, once more he found himself invisible but naked in the cold January air.

After this, he decided to get into a theatrical company to find clothes and also something that would hide the empty space above his shoulders. This was because when he was clothed, he looked like a headless man. He went to Drury Lane, the center of the theatre world. At a shop, he went upstairs and came out wearing bandages round his forehead, dark glasses, false nose, big bushy side-whiskers, and a large hat. And to escape without being seen, he attacked the shopkeeper from behind and robbed him of all the money.

Because of the unsympathetic weather and the crowd of London, Griffins went to the village of Iping. There, he booked two rooms at a local inn. Although Mrs. Hall, the landlord’s wife, tried to be friendly with Griffin, he expressed no desire to talk. Griffin paid Mrs. Hall in advance with his stolen money. But, this did not last long and Griffin had to admit that he had no more ready cash. But, he pretended that he was expecting a cheque to arrive at any moment.

One morning, a clergyman and his wife were awakened by noises in the study. They heard money being taken from the desk. The clergyman decided to confront the thief but, much to his surprise, the room was empty. Both of them searched thoroughly but they couldn’t see anybody.

Later, that morning, Mr and Mrs Hall, the landlords were much surprised to see Griffin’s door wide open. Most of the time, it was shut and locked. They took this opportunity to see what was going on. They saw that the clothes and bandages that the scientist always wore were lying about the room. Just then, Mrs. Hall felt a sniff close to her ear. The hat on the bedpost dashed into her face. Even the bedroom chair sprung up and struck her. The chair pushed them both out of the room and locked the door after them. Mrs. Hall was not aware that this was the handiwork of Griffin himself. She was totally convinced that the room and her furniture were haunted by spirits.

Along with this trouble supposedly caused by witchcraft, the news of the burglary at the clergyman’s home also spread. The strange scientist was suspected of being involved in this because he suddenly produced cash. The village constable was secretly sent for. Mrs. Hall confronted the scientist. The scientist being quick-tempered threw off the bandages, whiskers, spectacles, and the nose, to show her who was he.

People were horrified to see a headless man standing before them. Mr. Jaffers, the constable was also surprised to find that he had to arrest a man without a head. Nonetheless, he decided to arrest him. But, Griffins was a smart man. As the policeman tried to get hold of him, Griffin threw off one garment after another. Some people tried to help the policeman to arrest Griffin. But they were hit by blows that seemed to come from nowhere. In the end, Mr. Jaffers was knocked unconscious as he made a last attempt to hold on to the unseen scientist. Ultimately no one could catch hold of Griffin. He simply fled.

Meanings:

imprints: a mark or outline made by pressing something on to a softer substance

barefooted: wearing nothing on the feet

gazed: look at something or someone for a long time

remarkable: unusual or special

fascinated: extremely attracted

fainter: not very clear

bewildered: confused and uncertain

rare: an event, situation, or condition that does not occur very often

Lawless: someone who is not obedient to the laws

eject: force someone to leave a particular place

revenge: the action of hurting or harming someone in return for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands

bitterly: an extreme or particularly harsh degree

panicked: taken over by a sudden overwhelming fear

callously: unkind and cruel, behaviour or feeling

side-whiskers: facial hair that grows on the side of a man’s face in front of the ears

solitude: the situation of being alone

eccentric: strange and unusual behaviour

irritable: someone who gets annoyed very easily

grasped: quickly take something and hold it firmly

flung: to throw

poker: a metal rod with a handle, used for prodding and stirring an open fire

post: one of the four corner poles that support a bed

foremost: the most important or the best

slam: shut loudly and forcefully

hysterics: uncontrolled behaviour or crying, usually caused by extreme fear or sadness

moaned: a long, low sound of pain, suffering

magistrate: a person who acts as a judge in a law court that deals with crimes that are less serious

warrant: a document issued by a legal or government official authorizing the police to make an arrest, search premises, or carry out some other action relating to the administration of justice

Character Sketch:

Griffin, the scientist is the lead character in the story ‘Footprints without Feet’. Though he had many great qualities, they are overshadowed by the many flaws in his character. Griffin was a man who had no conscience, was callous towards other people, and simply self-centered. He committed one brutal act after another, not because they were necessary for his survival, but simply because he enjoyed doing them. The way he looted the owner of a small costume shop spoke volumes about his inhumanity. He even terrorized the clergyman, Mr. Hall, his wife, and the police constable. All in all, Griffin was an eccentric scientist who had discovered a rare drug that could make him invisible. Griffin became invisible not for the welfare of the society but to satisfy his own ego and carry out satanic deeds.

Question and Answers

1. How did the invisible man first become visible?

The invisible man first became visible when he accidentally stepped into some mud and his footprints started becoming visible to two boys. The boys followed him until his footprints fainted and became invisible again. Thus, the invisible man got rid of them. He spent a night at a large London store where he wore some clothes and slept on a pile of quilts. The next morning, when he was still sleeping, the store assistants arrived and saw him. Then he was actually seen for the first time.

2. Why was he wandering the streets?

Griffin had burned down the house of his landlord who had tried to throw him out of the house. He was a lawless person. To save himself from being caught he removed all his clothes so that he could not be seen and thus, became a homeless wanderer. He did not have any money or clothing left with him.

3. Why does Mrs. Hall find the scientist eccentric?

Griffin had a weird appearance. He came to the village of Iping during the winter season. It was not common for anyone to visit Iping in winter. Though Mrs. Hall tried to be friendly with him he was rude to her. He told her that he didn’t want to be disturbed and the reason for his visit to the village of Iping was solitude. These were some of the reasons due to which Mrs. Hall considered him to be an eccentric scientist.

4. What curious episode occurs in the study?

The clergyman and his wife were awakened early one morning by noises in their study room. When the clergyman went to the study with a metal rod and looked around he could not find anyone. He even looked under the desk, behind the curtain and up the chimney but no one was seen. The strangest part was that even though nobody was there the desk was opened and money was missing from the drawer.

5. What other extraordinary things happen at the inn?

The landlord and his wife were surprised to see the doors of Griffin’s room open. They looked inside and found that nobody was inside the room and decided to investigate. They found it strange that the room’s door was open as they were kept shut always. Mrs. Hall heard a sniff and soon she was hit by Griffin’s hat on the face. Then the chair in the room charged towards Mrs. Hall and hit her.

As they both turned in terror, the chair pushed both of them out of the room and the door was slammed and suddenly a locking sound was heard. Mrs. Hall was scared and felt that the furniture was haunted by spirits and it was the stranger’s work. The nearby people started talking that some witchcraft was involved in the work.