The Time Machine

I have this mental condition that makes me think that whatever I am reading at the moment is one of the greatest things ever written. It doesn’t happen every time, but pretty often. That may come apparent to anyone who follows this post for a time. It didn’t happen here. I did enjoy it though.

When science fiction is sufficiently aged, it takes on a special charm. It happens whenever the science becomes dated, when there is a sufficient technological gap between the era that produced it and the era in which it is being read. Bradbury is such a great example of this. H.G. Welles is too. Unfortunately, I have to admit that I don’t think I have actually read any Welles before. It struck me as kind of funny when I realized this. I know some of the stories so well. I think there may have been a few graphic novel adaptations for young adults in one of my school libraries. Then there are enough movie versions.

Anyway, I did enjoy The Time Machine. It is a quick read and a lot of fun. There is one bit of social commentary that comes through at several points. The Eloi are simple and beautiful race of people the Time Traveler meets in the year 200,000. Welles speculates that these people are the tragic result of a society so advanced that its people have no material or physical needs of any kind. The Eloi are small, gentle and prone to laughter. They are terribly stupid to the point of not even being able to take care of themselves. They speak in one or two word sentences. While living among them, the Time Traveler theorizes that the comfort and convenience of “modern life”, when played out to the extreme, results in a society where every need is provided and life is a stretch of uninterrupted leisure. There is no need for anyone to exert effort or ambition whatsoever. The lack of any challenge or need for self reliance dulls the human race until it becomes a stupid and frail. There is also not much division between the genders among the Eloi. Not androgynous, that implies a combination of masculine and feminine. Welles’ Eloi are a race of people with the masculinity drained out. Apparently a carefree life of abundance will make us all womanly.

The Time Traveler comes to find out the leisurely life was not the providence of all humanity. Someone had to toil and suffer to keep utopia running. Here’s where the Morlocks come in. The Morlocks are presented as another branch that sprang from the human lineage. The lower classes that were sent underground to labor in support of the carefree life eventually evolved into subterranean troglodytes. The Time Traveler comes to realize that the Eloi are essentially cattle for the Morlocks. The Morlocks tend to the Eloi’s basic needs and in the night the Morlocks come up to harvest a few Eloi for food. Herein lies my one criticism of the the book. The Morlocks are portrayed like ghoulish little monsters. Yet they take care of the Eloi and maintain an underground society. Seems like they probably should be a little more sophisticated than the creeping crawlies we are presented with. I believe the Eloi were even provided with simple clothing. Clearly they have some basic agricultural knowledge to me maintaining a herd of Eloi. I feel like there was something more interesting going on underground and the Morlocks may have gotten the short end of it.