The Invisible Man Bio-sketch - Class 12 PDF Download

 Page 1


THE INVISIBLE MAN 
-H.G. Wells 
  
Q.1 Write in about 100 words the character sketch of: 
1.   Mrs. Hall: Mrs. Hall Is the wife of Mr. Hall and the owner of the Coach and Horses 
Inn. A very friendly, down-to-earth woman who enjoys socializing with her guests, Mrs. 
Hall is continually frustrated by the mysterious Invisible Man's refusal to talk with her, 
and his repeated temper tantrums. The Halls are a typical family. Mr. Hall drinks and 
Mrs. Hall nags him about drinking. Mr. Hall isn't so quick and Mrs. Hall takes out her 
frustrations on Millie, the serving girl. Mrs. Hall, although not a major character, is 
revealed as rather devious in a harmless sort of way. She really wants to know what the 
strange man's disfigurement is; she assumes he has been in a horrible accident, and 
the motherly side of her wants to know how to express sympathy. She is a very good 
innkeeper under the circumstances. 
2. Mr. Teddy Henfrey: 
A clock repairman who happens to visit the inn for a cup of tea. Mrs. Hall takes 
advantage of him to try to find out about her strange guest. She wants Teddy Henfrey to 
fix a clock in the stranger's room. Teddy deliberately takes as long as he can with the 
clock, taking it apart and re-assembling it for no reason. He tries unsuccessfully to 
engage the stranger in conversation. The stranger catches him wasting time, though 
and tells him to finish up and get out. Because the stranger will not talk, Teddy 
convinces himself that the man is someone of a "suspicious" nature. He begins the 
rumours about the man being wanted by the police and merely wrapping himself up to 
conceal his identity.   Teddy Henfrey is a character typical of the other people of the 
town. He wants to know the man's story, and when he is rebuffed for his persistence, he 
begins to imagine all sorts of things. His imagination soon becomes fact to him, and he 
spreads his knowledge to anyone who will care to listen. 
3. Dr. Cuss: Dr. Cuss is a doctor living in the town of Iping. Intrigued by tales of a 
bandaged stranger staying at the Coach and Hoses Inn, Dr. Cuss goes to see him 
under the pretense of asking for a donation to the nurse's fund. The strange man, 
Griffin, scares Cuss away by pinching his nose with his invisible hand. Cuss went 
immediately to see Rev. Bunting, who not surprisingly did not believe the doctor's wild 
story.                        Later, after Griffin had been exposed as The Invisible Man, Dr. 
Cuss and Rev. Bunting got hold of his notebooks, but these were stolen back from them 
by the invisible Griffin, who took both men's clothes. Although the unlucky Rev. Bunting 
had all his clothing stolen by Griffin, Dr. Cuss only lost his trousers. 
Page 2


THE INVISIBLE MAN 
-H.G. Wells 
  
Q.1 Write in about 100 words the character sketch of: 
1.   Mrs. Hall: Mrs. Hall Is the wife of Mr. Hall and the owner of the Coach and Horses 
Inn. A very friendly, down-to-earth woman who enjoys socializing with her guests, Mrs. 
Hall is continually frustrated by the mysterious Invisible Man's refusal to talk with her, 
and his repeated temper tantrums. The Halls are a typical family. Mr. Hall drinks and 
Mrs. Hall nags him about drinking. Mr. Hall isn't so quick and Mrs. Hall takes out her 
frustrations on Millie, the serving girl. Mrs. Hall, although not a major character, is 
revealed as rather devious in a harmless sort of way. She really wants to know what the 
strange man's disfigurement is; she assumes he has been in a horrible accident, and 
the motherly side of her wants to know how to express sympathy. She is a very good 
innkeeper under the circumstances. 
2. Mr. Teddy Henfrey: 
A clock repairman who happens to visit the inn for a cup of tea. Mrs. Hall takes 
advantage of him to try to find out about her strange guest. She wants Teddy Henfrey to 
fix a clock in the stranger's room. Teddy deliberately takes as long as he can with the 
clock, taking it apart and re-assembling it for no reason. He tries unsuccessfully to 
engage the stranger in conversation. The stranger catches him wasting time, though 
and tells him to finish up and get out. Because the stranger will not talk, Teddy 
convinces himself that the man is someone of a "suspicious" nature. He begins the 
rumours about the man being wanted by the police and merely wrapping himself up to 
conceal his identity.   Teddy Henfrey is a character typical of the other people of the 
town. He wants to know the man's story, and when he is rebuffed for his persistence, he 
begins to imagine all sorts of things. His imagination soon becomes fact to him, and he 
spreads his knowledge to anyone who will care to listen. 
3. Dr. Cuss: Dr. Cuss is a doctor living in the town of Iping. Intrigued by tales of a 
bandaged stranger staying at the Coach and Hoses Inn, Dr. Cuss goes to see him 
under the pretense of asking for a donation to the nurse's fund. The strange man, 
Griffin, scares Cuss away by pinching his nose with his invisible hand. Cuss went 
immediately to see Rev. Bunting, who not surprisingly did not believe the doctor's wild 
story.                        Later, after Griffin had been exposed as The Invisible Man, Dr. 
Cuss and Rev. Bunting got hold of his notebooks, but these were stolen back from them 
by the invisible Griffin, who took both men's clothes. Although the unlucky Rev. Bunting 
had all his clothing stolen by Griffin, Dr. Cuss only lost his trousers. 
4. Rev. Bunting :  The Rev. Bunting is the vicar in the town of Iping. Dr. Cuss want to 
see him following his first encounter with Griffin. Bunting laughed at Cuss' claims of an 
invisible hand pinching his nose, but the next night his home was burgled by the 
Invisible Man himself.   Later, Bunting and Cuss tried to read Griffin's notes but 
were stopped by the Invisible Man, who stole their clothes. Although Cuss escaped 
missing only his trousers, Bunting had his entire wardrobe purloined. 
5. Mr. Sandy Wadgers: Mr. Sandy Wadgers was the village blacksmith, who is also 
supposed to be an exorcist. He was the one whom people thought, the one who could 
deal with the ghosts and spirits. Mr & Mrs. Hall sent Millie across the street through the 
golden five o'clock sunshine to rouse up Mr. Sandy Wadgers, the blacksmith. He was a 
knowing man, and very resourceful person. He took quite a grave view of the case. "I 
am surprised if that is not witchcraft" was the view of Mr. Sandy Wadgers. "Do you want 
horseshoes for the ghosts." He came round greatly concerned. They wanted him to lead 
the way upstairs to the room, but he didn't seem to be in any hurry. Wadgers is joined 
by Huxter, and together they ponder the likelihood of witchcraft and contemplate the 
propriety of breaking through the door in order to examine the situation more closely. 
However, before they can carry out any such action, the door opens and the stranger 
emerges, wrapped and bundled as usual. He enters the parlour and slam the door 
against them. When Mr. Hall raps on the door and demands an explanation, the 
stranger tells him to "go to the devil "and "shut the door after you." Wadgers delays 
"breaking" into the room, using the excuse of propriety when the real and very human 
reason is fear and apprehension. While they may talk of spirits and witchcraft in their 
leisure, it is clear that they have no real experience with such things.  
6. Griffin : The story of the Invisible Man, is the story of a protagonist Griffin, who had 
been a brilliant young chemist and researcher. Unfortunately, he began his road to 
'decline' in college when he became extremely obsessed with his experiments, that he 
kept his work in a clandestine manner lest someone else claimed credit for that. His 
passion for pure scientific investigation accelerated to such an extent that when he 
required money for further research, he stole it from his father. And later, in a fit of anger 
and frustration, he even murdered him. The barberous crime thus committed made rest 
of his crimes pale in comparison. He turns himself from scientist to fanatic when he 
starts focusing all his attention merely on the concept of invisibility and never ever thinks 
of the repercussions that may follow. He may not have had any intention initially trying 
the potion on himself, but the interference of his landlord and prying neighbour lady 
instigate him to experiment on himself. Once he becomes invisible, his life becomes 
miserable. At the close of the novel poetic justice is done, Griffin is seized, assaulted 
and killed by a mob. The invisible Man's naked, battered body gradually becomes 
visible as he dies. 
7. Thomas Marvel: Thomas Marvel is a tramp unwittingly recruited as a scapegoat to 
assist the Invisible Man as his partner in the deeds causing panic. He is short, fat and a 
loner. He is the area tramp. Thomas Marvel carries the Invisible Man's scientific 
Page 3


THE INVISIBLE MAN 
-H.G. Wells 
  
Q.1 Write in about 100 words the character sketch of: 
1.   Mrs. Hall: Mrs. Hall Is the wife of Mr. Hall and the owner of the Coach and Horses 
Inn. A very friendly, down-to-earth woman who enjoys socializing with her guests, Mrs. 
Hall is continually frustrated by the mysterious Invisible Man's refusal to talk with her, 
and his repeated temper tantrums. The Halls are a typical family. Mr. Hall drinks and 
Mrs. Hall nags him about drinking. Mr. Hall isn't so quick and Mrs. Hall takes out her 
frustrations on Millie, the serving girl. Mrs. Hall, although not a major character, is 
revealed as rather devious in a harmless sort of way. She really wants to know what the 
strange man's disfigurement is; she assumes he has been in a horrible accident, and 
the motherly side of her wants to know how to express sympathy. She is a very good 
innkeeper under the circumstances. 
2. Mr. Teddy Henfrey: 
A clock repairman who happens to visit the inn for a cup of tea. Mrs. Hall takes 
advantage of him to try to find out about her strange guest. She wants Teddy Henfrey to 
fix a clock in the stranger's room. Teddy deliberately takes as long as he can with the 
clock, taking it apart and re-assembling it for no reason. He tries unsuccessfully to 
engage the stranger in conversation. The stranger catches him wasting time, though 
and tells him to finish up and get out. Because the stranger will not talk, Teddy 
convinces himself that the man is someone of a "suspicious" nature. He begins the 
rumours about the man being wanted by the police and merely wrapping himself up to 
conceal his identity.   Teddy Henfrey is a character typical of the other people of the 
town. He wants to know the man's story, and when he is rebuffed for his persistence, he 
begins to imagine all sorts of things. His imagination soon becomes fact to him, and he 
spreads his knowledge to anyone who will care to listen. 
3. Dr. Cuss: Dr. Cuss is a doctor living in the town of Iping. Intrigued by tales of a 
bandaged stranger staying at the Coach and Hoses Inn, Dr. Cuss goes to see him 
under the pretense of asking for a donation to the nurse's fund. The strange man, 
Griffin, scares Cuss away by pinching his nose with his invisible hand. Cuss went 
immediately to see Rev. Bunting, who not surprisingly did not believe the doctor's wild 
story.                        Later, after Griffin had been exposed as The Invisible Man, Dr. 
Cuss and Rev. Bunting got hold of his notebooks, but these were stolen back from them 
by the invisible Griffin, who took both men's clothes. Although the unlucky Rev. Bunting 
had all his clothing stolen by Griffin, Dr. Cuss only lost his trousers. 
4. Rev. Bunting :  The Rev. Bunting is the vicar in the town of Iping. Dr. Cuss want to 
see him following his first encounter with Griffin. Bunting laughed at Cuss' claims of an 
invisible hand pinching his nose, but the next night his home was burgled by the 
Invisible Man himself.   Later, Bunting and Cuss tried to read Griffin's notes but 
were stopped by the Invisible Man, who stole their clothes. Although Cuss escaped 
missing only his trousers, Bunting had his entire wardrobe purloined. 
5. Mr. Sandy Wadgers: Mr. Sandy Wadgers was the village blacksmith, who is also 
supposed to be an exorcist. He was the one whom people thought, the one who could 
deal with the ghosts and spirits. Mr & Mrs. Hall sent Millie across the street through the 
golden five o'clock sunshine to rouse up Mr. Sandy Wadgers, the blacksmith. He was a 
knowing man, and very resourceful person. He took quite a grave view of the case. "I 
am surprised if that is not witchcraft" was the view of Mr. Sandy Wadgers. "Do you want 
horseshoes for the ghosts." He came round greatly concerned. They wanted him to lead 
the way upstairs to the room, but he didn't seem to be in any hurry. Wadgers is joined 
by Huxter, and together they ponder the likelihood of witchcraft and contemplate the 
propriety of breaking through the door in order to examine the situation more closely. 
However, before they can carry out any such action, the door opens and the stranger 
emerges, wrapped and bundled as usual. He enters the parlour and slam the door 
against them. When Mr. Hall raps on the door and demands an explanation, the 
stranger tells him to "go to the devil "and "shut the door after you." Wadgers delays 
"breaking" into the room, using the excuse of propriety when the real and very human 
reason is fear and apprehension. While they may talk of spirits and witchcraft in their 
leisure, it is clear that they have no real experience with such things.  
6. Griffin : The story of the Invisible Man, is the story of a protagonist Griffin, who had 
been a brilliant young chemist and researcher. Unfortunately, he began his road to 
'decline' in college when he became extremely obsessed with his experiments, that he 
kept his work in a clandestine manner lest someone else claimed credit for that. His 
passion for pure scientific investigation accelerated to such an extent that when he 
required money for further research, he stole it from his father. And later, in a fit of anger 
and frustration, he even murdered him. The barberous crime thus committed made rest 
of his crimes pale in comparison. He turns himself from scientist to fanatic when he 
starts focusing all his attention merely on the concept of invisibility and never ever thinks 
of the repercussions that may follow. He may not have had any intention initially trying 
the potion on himself, but the interference of his landlord and prying neighbour lady 
instigate him to experiment on himself. Once he becomes invisible, his life becomes 
miserable. At the close of the novel poetic justice is done, Griffin is seized, assaulted 
and killed by a mob. The invisible Man's naked, battered body gradually becomes 
visible as he dies. 
7. Thomas Marvel: Thomas Marvel is a tramp unwittingly recruited as a scapegoat to 
assist the Invisible Man as his partner in the deeds causing panic. He is short, fat and a 
loner. He is the area tramp. Thomas Marvel carries the Invisible Man's scientific 
notebooks and stolen money. Eventually Marvel grows afraid of his unseen partner and 
flees to Port Burdock. He also confiscates both the notebooks and the money with him 
where he seeks police protection. Seeing through his intentions and misgivings, the 
Invisible Man gets infuriated and vows to avenge Marvel, but he becomes preoccupied 
with hiding from the law and retaliating against Dr. Kemp, and in the process Marvel is 
spared. Marvel feels blessed with the stolen money and the notes of the Invisible Man. 
He opens his own Inn and names it 'The Invisible Man' and prospers too. The novel 
ends with him secretly 'marvelling' at Griffin's notes. He is indeed the man of the world 
who behaves as an opportunist to take advantage of his circumstances to thrive in life. 
8. George Hall:  George Hall, the husband of Mrs. Hall, is a simple innocent folk, 
assisting his wife in the Inn. Couch and Horses Inn. He is the first person in Iping to 
suspect the mysterious Griffin. When a dog bites Griffin and tears his glove and nips his 
trousers, it was George Hall who follows him to see if he was alright but he was taken 
aback when he saw a handless arm, waving towards him, slam the door in his face and 
locked.           
9. Mr. Huxter: Huxter, the shop owner, sees this guy Marvel waiting outside a window 
of the Coach and Horses inn holding a bag. Marvel walks into inn and nervously enters 
the parlour. Mr. Hall shouts that this is a private room, causing Marvel to rush out in 
panic. He then enters the bar and steadies himself with a drink. Marvel walks outside 
and stands near the parlour window, appearing to smoke a pipe. However, his hands 
are shaking, and Mr. Huxter's suspicious are aroused. Marvel suddenly goes into the 
yard, and Mr. Huxter is certain he is up to something unlawful. He rushes out and finds 
that Marvel has taken a bundle tied in a blue tablecloth and three books. So Huxter runs 
after the guy, yelling "Thief!" But, before he can catch the man, something (the Invisible 
Man) trips Huxter and knocks him out.                   
10. The Old Mariner (Sailor):  When Marvel had been sitting for the best part of an 
hour, an elderly mariner, carrying a newspaper, came out of the inn and sat down 
beside him. The mariner in Port Stowe has one job here, which is t tell us that the 
Invisible Man story is in all newspapers. Later the mariner hears another fantastic story- 
that of money floating along a wall in butterfly fashion. The story is true, however. The 
sailor thinks the story in the newspapers is believable because it comes equipped with 
names and details.  
11. Doctor Kemp:  Doctor Kemp is a scientist living in the town of Port Burdock. He is 
an old friend of Griffin, who comes to his house to hide after Griffin's transformation into 
the "Invisible Man." Kemp has a hard time accepting the fact that his friend, who he had 
not seen for years, suddenly appears uninvited and invisible, but eventually he 
overcomes his shock and sits down and talks with Griffin. Narrative-wise, Kemp then 
allows Griffin to relate the story of how he began his experiments, and all that happened 
Page 4


THE INVISIBLE MAN 
-H.G. Wells 
  
Q.1 Write in about 100 words the character sketch of: 
1.   Mrs. Hall: Mrs. Hall Is the wife of Mr. Hall and the owner of the Coach and Horses 
Inn. A very friendly, down-to-earth woman who enjoys socializing with her guests, Mrs. 
Hall is continually frustrated by the mysterious Invisible Man's refusal to talk with her, 
and his repeated temper tantrums. The Halls are a typical family. Mr. Hall drinks and 
Mrs. Hall nags him about drinking. Mr. Hall isn't so quick and Mrs. Hall takes out her 
frustrations on Millie, the serving girl. Mrs. Hall, although not a major character, is 
revealed as rather devious in a harmless sort of way. She really wants to know what the 
strange man's disfigurement is; she assumes he has been in a horrible accident, and 
the motherly side of her wants to know how to express sympathy. She is a very good 
innkeeper under the circumstances. 
2. Mr. Teddy Henfrey: 
A clock repairman who happens to visit the inn for a cup of tea. Mrs. Hall takes 
advantage of him to try to find out about her strange guest. She wants Teddy Henfrey to 
fix a clock in the stranger's room. Teddy deliberately takes as long as he can with the 
clock, taking it apart and re-assembling it for no reason. He tries unsuccessfully to 
engage the stranger in conversation. The stranger catches him wasting time, though 
and tells him to finish up and get out. Because the stranger will not talk, Teddy 
convinces himself that the man is someone of a "suspicious" nature. He begins the 
rumours about the man being wanted by the police and merely wrapping himself up to 
conceal his identity.   Teddy Henfrey is a character typical of the other people of the 
town. He wants to know the man's story, and when he is rebuffed for his persistence, he 
begins to imagine all sorts of things. His imagination soon becomes fact to him, and he 
spreads his knowledge to anyone who will care to listen. 
3. Dr. Cuss: Dr. Cuss is a doctor living in the town of Iping. Intrigued by tales of a 
bandaged stranger staying at the Coach and Hoses Inn, Dr. Cuss goes to see him 
under the pretense of asking for a donation to the nurse's fund. The strange man, 
Griffin, scares Cuss away by pinching his nose with his invisible hand. Cuss went 
immediately to see Rev. Bunting, who not surprisingly did not believe the doctor's wild 
story.                        Later, after Griffin had been exposed as The Invisible Man, Dr. 
Cuss and Rev. Bunting got hold of his notebooks, but these were stolen back from them 
by the invisible Griffin, who took both men's clothes. Although the unlucky Rev. Bunting 
had all his clothing stolen by Griffin, Dr. Cuss only lost his trousers. 
4. Rev. Bunting :  The Rev. Bunting is the vicar in the town of Iping. Dr. Cuss want to 
see him following his first encounter with Griffin. Bunting laughed at Cuss' claims of an 
invisible hand pinching his nose, but the next night his home was burgled by the 
Invisible Man himself.   Later, Bunting and Cuss tried to read Griffin's notes but 
were stopped by the Invisible Man, who stole their clothes. Although Cuss escaped 
missing only his trousers, Bunting had his entire wardrobe purloined. 
5. Mr. Sandy Wadgers: Mr. Sandy Wadgers was the village blacksmith, who is also 
supposed to be an exorcist. He was the one whom people thought, the one who could 
deal with the ghosts and spirits. Mr & Mrs. Hall sent Millie across the street through the 
golden five o'clock sunshine to rouse up Mr. Sandy Wadgers, the blacksmith. He was a 
knowing man, and very resourceful person. He took quite a grave view of the case. "I 
am surprised if that is not witchcraft" was the view of Mr. Sandy Wadgers. "Do you want 
horseshoes for the ghosts." He came round greatly concerned. They wanted him to lead 
the way upstairs to the room, but he didn't seem to be in any hurry. Wadgers is joined 
by Huxter, and together they ponder the likelihood of witchcraft and contemplate the 
propriety of breaking through the door in order to examine the situation more closely. 
However, before they can carry out any such action, the door opens and the stranger 
emerges, wrapped and bundled as usual. He enters the parlour and slam the door 
against them. When Mr. Hall raps on the door and demands an explanation, the 
stranger tells him to "go to the devil "and "shut the door after you." Wadgers delays 
"breaking" into the room, using the excuse of propriety when the real and very human 
reason is fear and apprehension. While they may talk of spirits and witchcraft in their 
leisure, it is clear that they have no real experience with such things.  
6. Griffin : The story of the Invisible Man, is the story of a protagonist Griffin, who had 
been a brilliant young chemist and researcher. Unfortunately, he began his road to 
'decline' in college when he became extremely obsessed with his experiments, that he 
kept his work in a clandestine manner lest someone else claimed credit for that. His 
passion for pure scientific investigation accelerated to such an extent that when he 
required money for further research, he stole it from his father. And later, in a fit of anger 
and frustration, he even murdered him. The barberous crime thus committed made rest 
of his crimes pale in comparison. He turns himself from scientist to fanatic when he 
starts focusing all his attention merely on the concept of invisibility and never ever thinks 
of the repercussions that may follow. He may not have had any intention initially trying 
the potion on himself, but the interference of his landlord and prying neighbour lady 
instigate him to experiment on himself. Once he becomes invisible, his life becomes 
miserable. At the close of the novel poetic justice is done, Griffin is seized, assaulted 
and killed by a mob. The invisible Man's naked, battered body gradually becomes 
visible as he dies. 
7. Thomas Marvel: Thomas Marvel is a tramp unwittingly recruited as a scapegoat to 
assist the Invisible Man as his partner in the deeds causing panic. He is short, fat and a 
loner. He is the area tramp. Thomas Marvel carries the Invisible Man's scientific 
notebooks and stolen money. Eventually Marvel grows afraid of his unseen partner and 
flees to Port Burdock. He also confiscates both the notebooks and the money with him 
where he seeks police protection. Seeing through his intentions and misgivings, the 
Invisible Man gets infuriated and vows to avenge Marvel, but he becomes preoccupied 
with hiding from the law and retaliating against Dr. Kemp, and in the process Marvel is 
spared. Marvel feels blessed with the stolen money and the notes of the Invisible Man. 
He opens his own Inn and names it 'The Invisible Man' and prospers too. The novel 
ends with him secretly 'marvelling' at Griffin's notes. He is indeed the man of the world 
who behaves as an opportunist to take advantage of his circumstances to thrive in life. 
8. George Hall:  George Hall, the husband of Mrs. Hall, is a simple innocent folk, 
assisting his wife in the Inn. Couch and Horses Inn. He is the first person in Iping to 
suspect the mysterious Griffin. When a dog bites Griffin and tears his glove and nips his 
trousers, it was George Hall who follows him to see if he was alright but he was taken 
aback when he saw a handless arm, waving towards him, slam the door in his face and 
locked.           
9. Mr. Huxter: Huxter, the shop owner, sees this guy Marvel waiting outside a window 
of the Coach and Horses inn holding a bag. Marvel walks into inn and nervously enters 
the parlour. Mr. Hall shouts that this is a private room, causing Marvel to rush out in 
panic. He then enters the bar and steadies himself with a drink. Marvel walks outside 
and stands near the parlour window, appearing to smoke a pipe. However, his hands 
are shaking, and Mr. Huxter's suspicious are aroused. Marvel suddenly goes into the 
yard, and Mr. Huxter is certain he is up to something unlawful. He rushes out and finds 
that Marvel has taken a bundle tied in a blue tablecloth and three books. So Huxter runs 
after the guy, yelling "Thief!" But, before he can catch the man, something (the Invisible 
Man) trips Huxter and knocks him out.                   
10. The Old Mariner (Sailor):  When Marvel had been sitting for the best part of an 
hour, an elderly mariner, carrying a newspaper, came out of the inn and sat down 
beside him. The mariner in Port Stowe has one job here, which is t tell us that the 
Invisible Man story is in all newspapers. Later the mariner hears another fantastic story- 
that of money floating along a wall in butterfly fashion. The story is true, however. The 
sailor thinks the story in the newspapers is believable because it comes equipped with 
names and details.  
11. Doctor Kemp:  Doctor Kemp is a scientist living in the town of Port Burdock. He is 
an old friend of Griffin, who comes to his house to hide after Griffin's transformation into 
the "Invisible Man." Kemp has a hard time accepting the fact that his friend, who he had 
not seen for years, suddenly appears uninvited and invisible, but eventually he 
overcomes his shock and sits down and talks with Griffin. Narrative-wise, Kemp then 
allows Griffin to relate the story of how he began his experiments, and all that happened 
to him between his arrival on his old friend's doorstep and then. Kemp, realizing that 
Griffin is insane with power, is quick to summon Colonel Adye of the Port Burdock 
police. Adye fails to apprehend Griffin, who escapes and brands Kemp a traitor, vowing 
to kill him.  Kemp's attitude is representative of the average established, self-confident, 
and self-sufficient individual. He sees a man in trouble, but his reaction is contemptuous 
instead of concern. He has heard warning cries about an Invisible Man, but clearly 
doesn't believe any of it. He is a man who keeps himself apart from the concerns of the 
general public, is buried in his work, interested only in what award it will ultimately bring 
him.         
     
LONG ANSWERS TYPE QUESTIONS: 
Answer the following questions in 120-150 words each: 
Q.1 What kind of scientist was Griffin? Did he use his scientific discovery in the 
right direction or misused it? Give reasons for your answer. 
Ans. The narrator uses the Invisible Man to experiment with the depth to which a 
person can sink when there are no social restrictions to suppress his behaviour. When 
Griffin's father commits suicide, he excuses it away by saying that the man was a 
"sentimental fool." When he takes the portion himself, he endures such pain that he 
"understands" why the cat howled so much in the process of becoming invisible. 
Nevertheless he has no compassion for the cat, for his father or for any of the people he 
takes advantage of in the course of trying to survive invisibility.  
The plot of the story is very straightforward. It begins in third person as the narrator 
introduces the Invisible Man midway through his experiences. Once the man is 
revealed, Griffin himself takes over and tells how he began his experiments ad what 
happened to him after he had taken the potion. At the end, the point of view once again 
changes to that of an objective narration.                                                                                         
  
As Griffin tells his story, one can see that his behaviour becomes increasingly 
reprehensible. In a very logical way, people first in Iping, and then in surrounding towns, 
become aware of the strange being in their midst. The people are curious, frightened 
and then determined in their attempts to bring him down and to find out who and what 
he really is.                            
This isn't a book about using a superpower to fight evil. But power is definitely a big 
piece of the puzzle in the Invisible Man. And not just superpower (i.e. invisibility). The 
Invisible Man touches on how knowledge- in this case, science- is power and how this 
power can corrupt. Science takes on a lot of different roles in The Invisible Man. First, 
Page 5


THE INVISIBLE MAN 
-H.G. Wells 
  
Q.1 Write in about 100 words the character sketch of: 
1.   Mrs. Hall: Mrs. Hall Is the wife of Mr. Hall and the owner of the Coach and Horses 
Inn. A very friendly, down-to-earth woman who enjoys socializing with her guests, Mrs. 
Hall is continually frustrated by the mysterious Invisible Man's refusal to talk with her, 
and his repeated temper tantrums. The Halls are a typical family. Mr. Hall drinks and 
Mrs. Hall nags him about drinking. Mr. Hall isn't so quick and Mrs. Hall takes out her 
frustrations on Millie, the serving girl. Mrs. Hall, although not a major character, is 
revealed as rather devious in a harmless sort of way. She really wants to know what the 
strange man's disfigurement is; she assumes he has been in a horrible accident, and 
the motherly side of her wants to know how to express sympathy. She is a very good 
innkeeper under the circumstances. 
2. Mr. Teddy Henfrey: 
A clock repairman who happens to visit the inn for a cup of tea. Mrs. Hall takes 
advantage of him to try to find out about her strange guest. She wants Teddy Henfrey to 
fix a clock in the stranger's room. Teddy deliberately takes as long as he can with the 
clock, taking it apart and re-assembling it for no reason. He tries unsuccessfully to 
engage the stranger in conversation. The stranger catches him wasting time, though 
and tells him to finish up and get out. Because the stranger will not talk, Teddy 
convinces himself that the man is someone of a "suspicious" nature. He begins the 
rumours about the man being wanted by the police and merely wrapping himself up to 
conceal his identity.   Teddy Henfrey is a character typical of the other people of the 
town. He wants to know the man's story, and when he is rebuffed for his persistence, he 
begins to imagine all sorts of things. His imagination soon becomes fact to him, and he 
spreads his knowledge to anyone who will care to listen. 
3. Dr. Cuss: Dr. Cuss is a doctor living in the town of Iping. Intrigued by tales of a 
bandaged stranger staying at the Coach and Hoses Inn, Dr. Cuss goes to see him 
under the pretense of asking for a donation to the nurse's fund. The strange man, 
Griffin, scares Cuss away by pinching his nose with his invisible hand. Cuss went 
immediately to see Rev. Bunting, who not surprisingly did not believe the doctor's wild 
story.                        Later, after Griffin had been exposed as The Invisible Man, Dr. 
Cuss and Rev. Bunting got hold of his notebooks, but these were stolen back from them 
by the invisible Griffin, who took both men's clothes. Although the unlucky Rev. Bunting 
had all his clothing stolen by Griffin, Dr. Cuss only lost his trousers. 
4. Rev. Bunting :  The Rev. Bunting is the vicar in the town of Iping. Dr. Cuss want to 
see him following his first encounter with Griffin. Bunting laughed at Cuss' claims of an 
invisible hand pinching his nose, but the next night his home was burgled by the 
Invisible Man himself.   Later, Bunting and Cuss tried to read Griffin's notes but 
were stopped by the Invisible Man, who stole their clothes. Although Cuss escaped 
missing only his trousers, Bunting had his entire wardrobe purloined. 
5. Mr. Sandy Wadgers: Mr. Sandy Wadgers was the village blacksmith, who is also 
supposed to be an exorcist. He was the one whom people thought, the one who could 
deal with the ghosts and spirits. Mr & Mrs. Hall sent Millie across the street through the 
golden five o'clock sunshine to rouse up Mr. Sandy Wadgers, the blacksmith. He was a 
knowing man, and very resourceful person. He took quite a grave view of the case. "I 
am surprised if that is not witchcraft" was the view of Mr. Sandy Wadgers. "Do you want 
horseshoes for the ghosts." He came round greatly concerned. They wanted him to lead 
the way upstairs to the room, but he didn't seem to be in any hurry. Wadgers is joined 
by Huxter, and together they ponder the likelihood of witchcraft and contemplate the 
propriety of breaking through the door in order to examine the situation more closely. 
However, before they can carry out any such action, the door opens and the stranger 
emerges, wrapped and bundled as usual. He enters the parlour and slam the door 
against them. When Mr. Hall raps on the door and demands an explanation, the 
stranger tells him to "go to the devil "and "shut the door after you." Wadgers delays 
"breaking" into the room, using the excuse of propriety when the real and very human 
reason is fear and apprehension. While they may talk of spirits and witchcraft in their 
leisure, it is clear that they have no real experience with such things.  
6. Griffin : The story of the Invisible Man, is the story of a protagonist Griffin, who had 
been a brilliant young chemist and researcher. Unfortunately, he began his road to 
'decline' in college when he became extremely obsessed with his experiments, that he 
kept his work in a clandestine manner lest someone else claimed credit for that. His 
passion for pure scientific investigation accelerated to such an extent that when he 
required money for further research, he stole it from his father. And later, in a fit of anger 
and frustration, he even murdered him. The barberous crime thus committed made rest 
of his crimes pale in comparison. He turns himself from scientist to fanatic when he 
starts focusing all his attention merely on the concept of invisibility and never ever thinks 
of the repercussions that may follow. He may not have had any intention initially trying 
the potion on himself, but the interference of his landlord and prying neighbour lady 
instigate him to experiment on himself. Once he becomes invisible, his life becomes 
miserable. At the close of the novel poetic justice is done, Griffin is seized, assaulted 
and killed by a mob. The invisible Man's naked, battered body gradually becomes 
visible as he dies. 
7. Thomas Marvel: Thomas Marvel is a tramp unwittingly recruited as a scapegoat to 
assist the Invisible Man as his partner in the deeds causing panic. He is short, fat and a 
loner. He is the area tramp. Thomas Marvel carries the Invisible Man's scientific 
notebooks and stolen money. Eventually Marvel grows afraid of his unseen partner and 
flees to Port Burdock. He also confiscates both the notebooks and the money with him 
where he seeks police protection. Seeing through his intentions and misgivings, the 
Invisible Man gets infuriated and vows to avenge Marvel, but he becomes preoccupied 
with hiding from the law and retaliating against Dr. Kemp, and in the process Marvel is 
spared. Marvel feels blessed with the stolen money and the notes of the Invisible Man. 
He opens his own Inn and names it 'The Invisible Man' and prospers too. The novel 
ends with him secretly 'marvelling' at Griffin's notes. He is indeed the man of the world 
who behaves as an opportunist to take advantage of his circumstances to thrive in life. 
8. George Hall:  George Hall, the husband of Mrs. Hall, is a simple innocent folk, 
assisting his wife in the Inn. Couch and Horses Inn. He is the first person in Iping to 
suspect the mysterious Griffin. When a dog bites Griffin and tears his glove and nips his 
trousers, it was George Hall who follows him to see if he was alright but he was taken 
aback when he saw a handless arm, waving towards him, slam the door in his face and 
locked.           
9. Mr. Huxter: Huxter, the shop owner, sees this guy Marvel waiting outside a window 
of the Coach and Horses inn holding a bag. Marvel walks into inn and nervously enters 
the parlour. Mr. Hall shouts that this is a private room, causing Marvel to rush out in 
panic. He then enters the bar and steadies himself with a drink. Marvel walks outside 
and stands near the parlour window, appearing to smoke a pipe. However, his hands 
are shaking, and Mr. Huxter's suspicious are aroused. Marvel suddenly goes into the 
yard, and Mr. Huxter is certain he is up to something unlawful. He rushes out and finds 
that Marvel has taken a bundle tied in a blue tablecloth and three books. So Huxter runs 
after the guy, yelling "Thief!" But, before he can catch the man, something (the Invisible 
Man) trips Huxter and knocks him out.                   
10. The Old Mariner (Sailor):  When Marvel had been sitting for the best part of an 
hour, an elderly mariner, carrying a newspaper, came out of the inn and sat down 
beside him. The mariner in Port Stowe has one job here, which is t tell us that the 
Invisible Man story is in all newspapers. Later the mariner hears another fantastic story- 
that of money floating along a wall in butterfly fashion. The story is true, however. The 
sailor thinks the story in the newspapers is believable because it comes equipped with 
names and details.  
11. Doctor Kemp:  Doctor Kemp is a scientist living in the town of Port Burdock. He is 
an old friend of Griffin, who comes to his house to hide after Griffin's transformation into 
the "Invisible Man." Kemp has a hard time accepting the fact that his friend, who he had 
not seen for years, suddenly appears uninvited and invisible, but eventually he 
overcomes his shock and sits down and talks with Griffin. Narrative-wise, Kemp then 
allows Griffin to relate the story of how he began his experiments, and all that happened 
to him between his arrival on his old friend's doorstep and then. Kemp, realizing that 
Griffin is insane with power, is quick to summon Colonel Adye of the Port Burdock 
police. Adye fails to apprehend Griffin, who escapes and brands Kemp a traitor, vowing 
to kill him.  Kemp's attitude is representative of the average established, self-confident, 
and self-sufficient individual. He sees a man in trouble, but his reaction is contemptuous 
instead of concern. He has heard warning cries about an Invisible Man, but clearly 
doesn't believe any of it. He is a man who keeps himself apart from the concerns of the 
general public, is buried in his work, interested only in what award it will ultimately bring 
him.         
     
LONG ANSWERS TYPE QUESTIONS: 
Answer the following questions in 120-150 words each: 
Q.1 What kind of scientist was Griffin? Did he use his scientific discovery in the 
right direction or misused it? Give reasons for your answer. 
Ans. The narrator uses the Invisible Man to experiment with the depth to which a 
person can sink when there are no social restrictions to suppress his behaviour. When 
Griffin's father commits suicide, he excuses it away by saying that the man was a 
"sentimental fool." When he takes the portion himself, he endures such pain that he 
"understands" why the cat howled so much in the process of becoming invisible. 
Nevertheless he has no compassion for the cat, for his father or for any of the people he 
takes advantage of in the course of trying to survive invisibility.  
The plot of the story is very straightforward. It begins in third person as the narrator 
introduces the Invisible Man midway through his experiences. Once the man is 
revealed, Griffin himself takes over and tells how he began his experiments ad what 
happened to him after he had taken the potion. At the end, the point of view once again 
changes to that of an objective narration.                                                                                         
  
As Griffin tells his story, one can see that his behaviour becomes increasingly 
reprehensible. In a very logical way, people first in Iping, and then in surrounding towns, 
become aware of the strange being in their midst. The people are curious, frightened 
and then determined in their attempts to bring him down and to find out who and what 
he really is.                            
This isn't a book about using a superpower to fight evil. But power is definitely a big 
piece of the puzzle in the Invisible Man. And not just superpower (i.e. invisibility). The 
Invisible Man touches on how knowledge- in this case, science- is power and how this 
power can corrupt. Science takes on a lot of different roles in The Invisible Man. First, 
it's what scientists do to work out problems they have. For instance, we hear from the 
Invisible Man about how he developed his invisibility formula through trial and error. 
Second, science means a community of scientists and their particular traditions; like 
when you discover something awesome (say, an invisibility formula), you're supposed to 
tell people about it.                  
Q.2  How did Griffin, the Invisible Man died? Describe the scene after his death.  
Ans. Kemp continues running towards Burdock. The road is long and empty, and no 
one in the nearby houses will help him. Griffin chases Kemp through the town. People 
begin to join in the chase. When Kemp realizes that people are chasing Griffin, he stops 
running, which allows the Invisible Man to catch him. Still, when Kemp arrives in 
Burdock, he finds a couple of workmen (navvies) on the road. When he yells about the 
Invisible Man, everyone nearby tries to find and hit the Invisible Man. When the Invisible 
Man able to grab Kemp, the navvies knock the Invisible Man down. There was a big 
fight between the crowd and the Invisible Man. Even though people cannot see him, 
they are able to grab hold of the Invisible Man and keep him down. The effort is not 
needed for long as Griffin has been fatally injured and seems to have lost a lot of blood. 
As the town people watch, the effect of invisibility is gradually reversed, and soon, 
Griffin, now dead, is visible. In death, his invisible albino body gradually materialises 
again. His body is carried into the Jolly Cricketers.                         
        
When Griffin dies and becomes visible, his albino condition is also revealed. It is 
interesting that the people are not horrified or even surprised. Nor is there any 
speculation about how this bizarre incident could have happened. The people watch as 
his broken, battered body slowly becomes visible from his extremities to the centre of 
his being. It is only when his white face and hair and staring garnet eyes are revealed 
that someone calls for them to "cover that face" before the children in the town can see 
it. 
Q.3 Who was Mr. Heelas? Why did he refuse Doctor Kemp to enter into his 
house? When did he start believing in the existing of the Invisible man? 
Ans. Mr. Heelas was a neighbour of Doctor Kemp. He didn't believe in the Invisible man 
but his wife did believe in the Invisible man. He insisted upon walking about his garden 
just as if nothing was the matter, and he went to sleep in the afternoon. He slept through 
the smashing of the windows, and then woke up suddenly with a curious persuasion of 
something wrong. He looked across at Kemp's house, rubbed his eyes and looked 
again. he said he was damned, but still the strange thing was visible. The house looked 
as though it had been deserted for weeks- after a violent riot. Every window was 
broken, and every window, save those of the belvedere study, was blinded by the