The Time Machine by H.G.

Wells Discussion Questions and Writing Project Selections Chapter I How believable does the Time Traveller's explanation of time as a 4th dimension sound? Why do you believe Wells chose to give most of his characters jobs to identify them instead of names? What is the effect of not naming the characters? What does the Time Traveller do to convince his guests that his demonstration is no trick? How does Wells hook the reader into turning to the next chapter? Chapter II How does Wells characterize the Time Traveller to make his audience doubt him? Why does Wells wait so long to have the Time Traveller tell his story after he staggers into the room? How does Wells create a sense of suspense? Chapter III How does the Time Traveller describe the sensations of time travel? What new fear occurs to him while he is traveling? What are the Time Traveller's first impressions of the future? How would you respond if you were him? What character traits have you noticed about the Time Traveller? What kind of person is he? Chapter IV How do the people he meet respond to him? What conclusions can you make about these people because they show no fear? What is different about the people from what he expected to find in the future? What does the general age and poor state of the buildings indicate about the civilization? What do you think of the Time Traveller's statements about the role of men and women in a family? How do they reflect the thinking of his time? What does the Time Traveller feel is an unexpected consequence of a civilization that has conquered all want? What possible bad consequences can you think of that would result from what looks like good technology (eliminating disease, lengthening the life span, eliminating poverty, etc.)? Would you like to live in this future? Why does Wells have the Time Traveller tell the readers that his ideas at this time about the future were wrong? Chapter V How does the Time Traveller respond to the loss of his time ship? What does the discovery of the wells with mechanical noises coming from them indicate about this world? Why does the Time Traveller go to some lengths to tell the readers he knew very little about this world? What is the character of Weena like? What is her relationship with the Time Traveller? What new elements of conflict are introduced in this chapter? How does Wells foreshadow upcoming events and create a sense of foreboding? What is the new theory about the people does the Time Traveller makes to explain what he's seen? Do you think the gulf between the rich and the poor the Time Traveller talks about exists today? Chapter VI How does Wells contrast the Eloi with the Morlocks? What similes applied to each race shows the Time Traveller's attitude about them? How does the setting for each race contribute toward creating an attitude about them? Chapter VII What new theory does the Time Traveller make to explain the differences between the two races? How does what he discovered make him feel about his own time? The Time Traveller has a moment of contemplation while looking at the stars. What does he conclude about the relationship between nature and human history? Interestingly, Wells was a socialist and critical of the wealthy and aristocracy. However, who in this novel does the Time Traveller sympathize with and why? Chapter VIII What does the Time Traveller conclude about literary effort when he finds the ruins of the library? What weapons does the Time Traveller take from the museum? How does the museum function symbolically in the story? What does a museum represent?

Chapter IX The Time Traveller meditates briefly on the unusual nature of fire. How does the ability to make fire become a crucial first step toward technology? Why doesn't the Time Traveller wait until morning to start the long trip back? What do you think of the Time Traveller's reaction to the loss of Weena? Chapter X What does the Time Traveller conclude about mankind's intellectual advancements? What does he feel caused the downfall of humanity? What is ironic about his conclusions? Why is the Time Traveller not worried about the Morlock's plan to trap him? Considering that he is in possession of a time travel device, how might have the Time Traveller used it to save Weena? Chapter XI What is the tone of this chapter? How does Wells create this tone? What images or impressions are most striking in the chapter? Why does the Time Traveller decide to visit the end of the Earth? Ask a science teacher about the sun's probable life cycle. What is different between what Wells describes and what scientists feel will actually occur? Chapter XII Why do you think Wells had the audience disbelieve the Time Traveller's story? What evidence does Wells provide to indicate the story is true and not one made up by an imaginative inventor? Why do you think that Wells doesn't tell you what happened to the Time Traveller in the end? What is gained by making his fate a mystery? Epilogue How would you characterize the narrator's reaction to the story? Is he optimistic or pessimistic? After all the concerns the Time Traveller had about technology and intellectual advancement, what does the narrator conclude is most important? What do you think about this conclusion? Writing Projects from the book (choose one)

1. Write a 500 word personal response to the novel, The Time Machine. Be sure to develop your opinion with quotes and 2. 3.
examples from the book. What you think about the novel is not as important as why you think it. A reader should reach the end of your essay and say, "I may not agree with this writer's conclusions, but I understand how she/he came to think this." Write a 500 word essay explaining the view of humanity that arises from The Time Machine. Be sure to look at the Time Traveller's speeches about his world and his theories about how the Eloi and Morlocks came to be. Use quotes and examples to support your ideas. The Time Machine ends with a mystery. Write a 500 word speculative essay about what you believe happened to the Time Traveller. Use what he said his goals were and what the narrator said about his character to base your answer.

Alternatives to Writing Projects You may select one of the following in lieu of the writing project. 1. 2. 3. Create a twelve panel comic strip corresponding to the twelve chapters of the novel. Find the key image from the chapter, illustrate it and write a caption explaining enough of the story that a reader could understand the broad outlines of the novel by reading your comic. Write a scene from the novel for a short play production in front of the class. Mix real dialogue from the novel with your invented dialogue. Use a narrator to set up what is happening, but the play itself should make sense without further explanation. Cast the play, practice it and perform it for the class. Write a scene from the novel for a short film play. Mix real dialogue from the novel with your invented dialogue. Cast and film your production. Play it for the class.