While a horror story about a man who magically turns invisible would be creepy, the scientific underpinnings of The Invisible Man link Griffin’s story to the actual social reality of the time the novel was published. This sense of plausibility serves as a kind of warning about the power and possibilities of science. Wells makes Griffin’s attempt at invisibility seem scientifically plausible. The scientific explanation of how this he achieves this, though not entirely realistic, demonstrates that the novel fits within the genre of science fiction. Prior to actually turning himself invisible, Griffin is highly optimistic about the process, and is thrilled when he realizes-both through the experiment on the cat and on himself-that it is actually possible to turn living organisms invisible. Indeed, while Griffin’s achievement of rendering himself invisible is remarkable, his attempt to achieve mastery over nature ultimately fails, a conclusion that emphasizes the limits of human power against nature. The novel suggests that meddling with nature and the human body in too extreme a manner can have catastrophic consequences for humanity. In chronicling Griffin’s experience as an invisible man (the result of a science experiment), Wells emphasizes the extraordinary power of science, but also the danger inherent within this power. Advancements in medical technology led to the elimination of diseases, a better understanding of human psychology, the emergence of birth control, and other major advances.

Wells were keen to explore where these new possibilities could lead. At the end of the nineteenth century, medical advances meant that human corporeal (embodied) experience was changing rapidly, and early science fiction writers such as H.G.

The Invisible Man explores humanity’s increasing ability to manipulate nature through science, including significant manipulations of the human body.

The invisible man science fiction