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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
L’uomo ha sempre giocato a essere Dio e in letteratura ci sono dei dottori pazzi che lo hanno sfidato apertamente, con esiti tragici naturalmente.
Come il Dr. Frankenstein di Mary Shelley, c’è un altro personaggio famoso per la sua follia ed è il Dr. Moreau creato da H.G. Wells.
Lo scrittore inglese studiò scienza, biologia e fu studente del darwiniano Thomas Henry Huxley. Queste sue conoscenze furono essenziali per la creazione di uno dei romanzi di fantascienza divenuto un classico e del suo perfido e pazzo protagonista.
La storia è narrata da un sopravvissuto a questi fatti avvenuti su un isola. Gli esseri umani a parte lui, sono il Dr. Moreau e il suo assistente, ma non sono gli unici a vivere su quell’isola disabitata.
Ci sono anche persone dall’aspetto davvero strano e inquietate e con comportamenti sbagliati e quasi animaleschi, che si dimostreranno essere la folla di mostri da incubo creati dallo scienziato amorale il dottor Moreau.
Il protagonista non ha alcuna via di scampo, per scappare dall’isola e vivrà un vero e proprio tormento profondamente inquietante.
Qui Wells denuncia la responsabilità dello scienziato su lo sfruttamento industriale degli esseri umani e il rapporto di domino e necessità tra ricercatore e cavia.
“Mi sembrava che un destino cieco e indifferente, un mostruoso meccanismo insensibile, creasse e plasmasse le esistenze.”
Come il Dr. Frankenstein di Mary Shelley, c’è un altro personaggio famoso per la sua follia ed è il Dr. Moreau creato da H.G. Wells.
Lo scrittore inglese studiò scienza, biologia e fu studente del darwiniano Thomas Henry Huxley. Queste sue conoscenze furono essenziali per la creazione di uno dei romanzi di fantascienza divenuto un classico e del suo perfido e pazzo protagonista.
La storia è narrata da un sopravvissuto a questi fatti avvenuti su un isola. Gli esseri umani a parte lui, sono il Dr. Moreau e il suo assistente, ma non sono gli unici a vivere su quell’isola disabitata.
Ci sono anche persone dall’aspetto davvero strano e inquietate e con comportamenti sbagliati e quasi animaleschi, che si dimostreranno essere la folla di mostri da incubo creati dallo scienziato amorale il dottor Moreau.
Il protagonista non ha alcuna via di scampo, per scappare dall’isola e vivrà un vero e proprio tormento profondamente inquietante.
Qui Wells denuncia la responsabilità dello scienziato su lo sfruttamento industriale degli esseri umani e il rapporto di domino e necessità tra ricercatore e cavia.
“Mi sembrava che un destino cieco e indifferente, un mostruoso meccanismo insensibile, creasse e plasmasse le esistenze.”
I was very impressed with the sense of momentum and propulsion the story had.
Szczerze nie wiem co sądzę o tej książce. Opis wydawał mi się bardzo interesujący i sam zamysł świetny, ale mimo to jakoś mi ona nie siadła. Nie wiem czy to nie kwestia faktu, że słuchałam ją w audio, bo gdy czytałam wehikuł czasu i wojnę światów to byłam zachwycona. Może kiedyś dam jej drugą szansę, ale tym razem przeczytam ją normalnie, na papierze.
"Not to go on all-Fours; that is the Law. Are we not Men?
Not to suck up Drink; that is the Law. Are we not Men?
Not to eat Flesh or Fish; that is the Law. Are we not Men?
Not to claw the Bark of Trees; that is the Law. Are we not Men?
Not to chase other Men; that is the Law. Are we not Men?" (Wells 61)
3.5 stars, rounded up.
In true gothic horror/sci-fi fashion, H.G. Wells spins a fascinating yet terrifyingly resonant tale of human hubris, the morality of innovation, and the very nature of what it means to be human. The Island of Dr. Moreau follows a castaway scientist as he finds himself on the hidden island of the titular Dr. Moreau, a scientist from London who was shunned by his peers due to his experiments with vivisection. Dr. Moreau has not stopped his experiments, however, and this whole island is inhabited by half-man/half-beast creatures. Wells, unfortunately, refers to these creatures almost exclusively in terms like "black" or "native" initially to fool us into believing these creations were merely normal people that our racist narrator Prendick so horribly disfigured with his descriptions. As the story progresses, however, so does Prendick's descriptions of these people. The language shifts from beasts/creatures to people. So, there's at least growth?
The attitude and subsequent experiments that Dr. Moreau had brought to mind the other "evil scientists" in our history and vernacular: WWII's Nazi Scientists experimenting on human bodies, Mary Shelley's Dr. Frankenstein, and Dr. Oppenheimer of the Manhattan Project. We've been obsessed with science and the power that science can provide us over our fellow man. Well's The Island of Dr. Moreau is another exploration of this innate fear.
All in all, this novella was short enough to finish in an afternoon and thought-provoking enough to stay with you until bedtime.
Not to suck up Drink; that is the Law. Are we not Men?
Not to eat Flesh or Fish; that is the Law. Are we not Men?
Not to claw the Bark of Trees; that is the Law. Are we not Men?
Not to chase other Men; that is the Law. Are we not Men?" (Wells 61)
3.5 stars, rounded up.
In true gothic horror/sci-fi fashion, H.G. Wells spins a fascinating yet terrifyingly resonant tale of human hubris, the morality of innovation, and the very nature of what it means to be human. The Island of Dr. Moreau follows a castaway scientist as he finds himself on the hidden island of the titular Dr. Moreau, a scientist from London who was shunned by his peers due to his experiments with vivisection. Dr. Moreau has not stopped his experiments, however, and this whole island is inhabited by half-man/half-beast creatures. Wells, unfortunately, refers to these creatures almost exclusively in terms like "black" or "native" initially to fool us into believing these creations were merely normal people that our racist narrator Prendick so horribly disfigured with his descriptions. As the story progresses, however, so does Prendick's descriptions of these people. The language shifts from beasts/creatures to people. So, there's at least growth?
The attitude and subsequent experiments that Dr. Moreau had brought to mind the other "evil scientists" in our history and vernacular: WWII's Nazi Scientists experimenting on human bodies, Mary Shelley's Dr. Frankenstein, and Dr. Oppenheimer of the Manhattan Project. We've been obsessed with science and the power that science can provide us over our fellow man. Well's The Island of Dr. Moreau is another exploration of this innate fear.
All in all, this novella was short enough to finish in an afternoon and thought-provoking enough to stay with you until bedtime.
Interesting take on the dangers of science and of playing god. Wells' description of the experiments have an eerie resemblance to some of the "breakthroughs" that have occurred in the 20th century. A good, quick read.
Interesting ideas but man Wells is a boring ass writer in terms of prose style.
While I loosely knew the plot to Dr Moreau before reading, the experience proved much more interesting and thought provoking. It explores the notions of morality and ethics in scientific research, but also takes a deep dive into more philosophical questions such as what makes a man a man, is intelligence inherent or acquired, and so on.
It was a very enjoyable read - suspenseful and captivating - and to be frank, didn't even feel horribly outdated. One of my favorite Wells so far!
It was a very enjoyable read - suspenseful and captivating - and to be frank, didn't even feel horribly outdated. One of my favorite Wells so far!
I thought I had read this before, but when faced with the descriptions of the animal-men, they were unfamiliar enough that I guess I was mistaken. I think there is certainly value here, and when taken in the context of when it was written, there is much to think on. This is Wells really diving into dystopian fiction as much as horror and sci-fi. Like Frankenstein, it asks what responsibility we have to what we’ve made and sounds an alarm about the potential danger inherent in scientific advancement Although the early part of this novella was harder for me to stomach because he hadn’t yet realized the men were spliced with animals rather than “negroid” (cringe), the experimentation without regard for pain or humanity that so repulses him is exactly what was done to minority, disabled, and mentally ill people in the years after this. A decent offering from Wells, and one I’ll be glad not to read again for quite some time.