The Invisible Man

erbert Wells' The Invisible Man is far more than a mere science - fiction adventure filled with novelty. As I followed Griffin's journey, from the ecstasy of discovering the secret of invisibility, to the madness of using this power to run amok, and finally to witnessing his descent into despair and destruction, what I felt was not just the tension of the plot, but a profound inquiry into the essence of human nature. The question lingers: when a person breaks free from the constraints of physical form and escapes the gaze of social rules, will they reach the shore of freedom or fall into the abyss of desire?​

Griffin's tragedy begins with the erosion of "human warmth" by "scientific rationality". His initial research may have been driven by a desire to explore the boundaries of science, but when the power of invisibility truly came to him, the first thought that crossed his mind was not to use this technology for the benefit of others, but rather, "I can finally break free from the constraints of the mundane world". This resistance to "constraints" is essentially an escape from social responsibility. He stole food, set fire to his landlady's house, threatened innocent people, and even declared his intention to establish a "reign of terror", all because he believed that "invisibility makes me the master of the world". With his unflinching writing, Wells reveals a harsh truth: when power is stripped of oversight and actions no longer need to bear consequences, the selfishness and violence lurking within human nature will grow like wild weeds. This logic of "moral disorder caused by the expansion of power" still holds a strong realistic resonance in today's world. From anonymous violence in the online realm to under - the - table dealings in the sphere of power, they are all essentially manifestations of the loss of human control in a state of "invisibility".​

What is even more thought - provoking is that Griffin's "invisibility" was never truly realized. Although he could make his physical body disappear, he was unable to erase his desires and fears, let alone escape the bonds of social relationships. When he tried to persuade Dr. Kemp to join his "terrorist plan", it was actually a desperate longing to find a kindred spirit in the lonely darkness. When he was chased and surrounded by the villagers, leaving behind trails of blood and footprints in the snow, his physical invisibility was already shattered by the exposure of his human nature. It seems that Wells is trying to tell us: true "invisibility" is not the disappearance of the physical body, but the evasion of one's own responsibilities; and true "existence" is not the visibility of one's form, but the connection of value with others and society.They can be individuals trapped by desire or power that has lost its supervision. The enlightenment that Wells leaves us is perhaps to always be vigilant against the temptation of "invisibility", for it is only within the framework of responsibility and restraint that the brilliance of human nature can truly shine.​

2025-12-04

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