Footprints
Without Feet
by H.G. Wells
🧾 About the Author: H.G. Wells
- Full name: Herbert
George Wells (1866–1946)
- Nationality: English
- Famous
works: The Invisible Man, The Time
Machine, The War of the Worlds, The Island of Dr. Moreau
- Known as: “Father
of Science Fiction”
- Style: He used
scientific imagination to comment on human greed, power, and social
injustice.
📘 About the
Story
Title: Footprints
Without Feet
Author: H.G. Wells
Genre: Science fiction short story
Published in: Based on his novel The Invisible Man (1897)
🧩 Summary
The
story is about a scientist named Griffin who discovers a way to become invisible.
He develops a formula that makes the body transparent like glass. However,
instead of using his discovery for good, he uses it for selfish and criminal
purposes.
Main events:
- Discovery
of Invisibility:
Griffin, a brilliant but lawless scientist, discovers a way to make himself invisible. - Mischief
in London:
After becoming invisible, Griffin creates chaos. People see “footprints without feet” in the mud and are terrified, thinking it’s a ghost. The footprints belong to Griffin, walking invisibly. - At the
Store:
He sneaks into a London store at night to get clothes and food. But when the store opens, he’s discovered. He removes his clothes to escape—once again invisible. - At the
Theatre Shop:
He steals clothes, bandages, dark glasses, and a false nose to look human. - At Iping
Village (Sussex):
Griffin rents rooms at an inn, pretending to be a strange scientist. Mrs. Hall, the owner, becomes suspicious of his secretive behavior. - The Theft:
When money is stolen from the clergyman’s house, everyone suspects Griffin. Mrs. Hall confronts him, but he becomes angry and reveals his invisibility, shocking everyone. - The Chase:
Villagers try to capture him, but Griffin removes his clothes and escapes, invisible once again.
🌈 Themes
- Abuse of
Science:
Science can be dangerous when used without moral responsibility.
Griffin’s invention leads to chaos, not progress. - Isolation
and Alienation:
Griffin’s invisibility cuts him off from human society. - Greed and
Corruption:
Griffin’s greed and desire for power destroy his humanity. - Fear of
the Unknown:
The villagers’ reaction to the invisible man shows human fear of mysterious or supernatural things.
🧠 Moral / Message
- Scientific
discoveries must be used for the welfare of humanity, not for personal
gain or destruction.
- Misuse of
knowledge can lead to one’s downfall.
📚 Word Meanings
|
Word |
Meaning |
|
Invisible |
Not able to
be seen |
|
Eccentric |
Strange or
unusual behavior |
|
Footprints |
Marks left by
feet on a surface |
|
Bewildered |
Confused |
|
Suspicious |
Doubtful,
distrustful |
|
Furious |
Extremely
angry |
|
Escaped |
Ran away or
got free |
✍️ Important
Extract (Fair Use)
“Griffin
was a brilliant scientist, but he was a lawless person. His discovery of
invisibility could have made him a benefactor of mankind, but instead he became
a source of fear and trouble.”
Here’s
a complete list of all the important places and characters
from “Footprints Without Feet” by H.G. Wells, with clear explanations
for easy exam preparation 👇
🏙️ Important
Places in the Story
|
Place |
Description / Importance |
|
London |
The main city
where Griffin first uses his invisibility. It’s where the story begins. He
creates panic when people see footprints without feet in the muddy
streets. |
|
The Muddy
Street / Steps |
The place
where the invisible footprints are seen by two boys. It symbolizes the
beginning of Griffin’s visible mischief. |
|
The Store
(London Store / Big London Mall) |
Griffin hides
here one cold night to take clothes, food, and warmth. He sleeps inside but
is discovered the next morning. |
|
The Theatre
Shop (Costume Shop) |
After
escaping the store, Griffin enters a theatrical costume shop where he steals bandages,
a false nose, dark glasses, a hat, and whiskers to appear like a normal
man. |
|
Iping Village
(in Sussex, England) |
A quiet
countryside village where Griffin rents a room at Mrs. Hall’s inn. He
tries to live secretly here but his strange behavior makes people suspicious. |
|
Coach and
Horses Inn (Mrs. Hall’s Inn) |
The place
where Griffin stays while pretending to be an ordinary scientist. The
villagers often see him wrapped in bandages here. |
|
Clergyman’s
House / Vicarage |
Griffin
steals money from here to pay his rent at Mrs. Hall’s inn. It proves that he
has turned to crime. |
|
Village
Streets of Iping |
The place
where the villagers gather when they discover Griffin’s invisibility and try
to capture him, but he escapes. |
👥 Important
Characters
|
Character |
Description / Role in Story |
|
Griffin |
The main
character and scientist who discovers a way to make his body
invisible. He becomes a criminal, using his scientific discovery for theft
and mischief. His name symbolizes intelligence without morality. |
|
Mrs. Hall |
The innkeeper
at the “Coach and Horses Inn” in Iping. She rents Griffin a room, takes care
of him, but becomes suspicious of his strange appearance and behavior. She
represents ordinary, curious society. |
|
Mr. Hall |
Mrs. Hall’s
husband and co-owner of the inn. He also suspects Griffin and helps the
constable try to catch him. |
|
The Clergyman
(Vicar) |
A religious
man who becomes a victim of Griffin’s theft when his money is stolen from the
study. |
|
The
Clergyman’s Wife |
She discovers
that money has disappeared mysteriously, increasing fear in the village. |
|
Constable
Jaffers |
The village
policeman who tries to arrest Griffin after discovering his crimes. He is
shocked to find himself struggling with an invisible man. |
|
Two Boys /
Onlookers in London |
They first
notice footprints without feet in the mud and run away terrified,
thinking it’s a ghost. They introduce the story’s mystery. |
|
Villagers of
Iping |
The ordinary
townspeople who become frightened and curious about Griffin’s invisibility.
They symbolize human fear of the unknown. |
🧭 Summary of Key Places and Characters’
Connection
|
Place |
Event / Connected Character |
|
Muddy Street,
London |
Two boys see
Griffin’s invisible footprints. |
|
Store in
London |
Griffin
hides, eats, dresses; caught next morning. |
|
Theatre Shop |
Griffin
steals disguise materials. |
|
Iping Village |
Griffin rents
a room, tries to live secretly. |
|
Mrs. Hall’s
Inn |
Griffin stays
here; villagers become suspicious. |
|
Clergyman’s
House |
Griffin
steals money to pay rent. |
|
Village
Street (Iping) |
Villagers and
Constable Jaffers chase him. Griffin escapes invisible again. |
✳️ 1. Who was Griffin?
Answer:
Griffin was a brilliant but lawless scientist who discovered a formula to make
the human body invisible. However, he misused his discovery for theft,
mischief, and selfish purposes instead of helping humanity.
✳️ 2. How did Griffin become invisible?
Answer:
Griffin discovered a special chemical formula that made the human body
transparent like glass and invisible to the naked eye. He experimented on himself
and became invisible permanently.
✳️ 3. What happened when Griffin walked through
the streets of London after becoming invisible?
Answer:
People were terrified when they saw “footprints without feet”
appearing on the muddy street. They thought some ghost was walking there.
Griffin had no clothes on, so he was completely invisible.
✳️ 4. Why did Griffin enter the big London store?
Answer:
It was a cold winter night, and Griffin needed warmth, food, and clothes. So,
he entered a large store in London to take shelter and find what he needed.
✳️ 5. What did Griffin do inside the store?
Answer:
Inside the store, Griffin wore warm clothes, shoes, a hat, and an overcoat. He
ate cold meat, drank coffee, and went to sleep in the pile of quilts to keep
warm.
✳️ 6. How did Griffin escape from the store?
Answer:
When the store opened the next morning, employees saw him. He took off all his
clothes to become invisible again and escaped from there without being caught.
✳️ 7. What did Griffin do at the theatre shop?
Answer:
At the theatre shop, Griffin stole bandages, dark glasses, a false nose, a hat,
and whiskers. He wore these to appear like a visible person again.
✳️ 8. Where did Griffin go after leaving London?
Answer:
After leaving London, Griffin went to Iping Village in Sussex, where
he rented a room at Mrs. Hall’s inn called The
Coach and Horses.
✳️ 9. Why did Mrs. Hall become suspicious of
Griffin?
Answer:
Mrs. Hall became suspicious because Griffin kept his room locked, was secretive
about his work, and behaved strangely. She also noticed that he was wrapped in
bandages from head to toe, even indoors.
✳️ 10. What happened at the clergyman’s house?
Answer:
One morning, the clergyman and his wife heard noises in their study but saw no
one. When they checked, their money had been stolen by Griffin, who was
invisible.
✳️ 11. What made Mrs. Hall think that Griffin’s
room was haunted?
Answer:
Mrs. Hall saw furniture in Griffin’s room moving by itself and a chair thrown
at her. She thought ghosts were doing it, not realizing that Griffin was
invisible and moving the things himself.
✳️ 12. Why did the villagers try to catch Griffin?
Answer:
After the theft at the vicar’s house and Mrs. Hall’s complaints, villagers
suspected Griffin of wrongdoing. When they confronted him, he became angry and
revealed his invisibility, shocking everyone.
✳️ 13. How did Griffin escape from the constable?
Answer:
When Constable Jaffers tried to arrest him, Griffin removed his clothes, became
invisible again, and escaped, leaving the constable punching empty air.
✳️ 14. What kind of person was Griffin?
Answer:
Griffin was intelligent but immoral and selfish. He used his scientific
discovery for crime and personal gain, showing that knowledge without ethics
can be dangerous.
✳️ 15. What is the main theme of the story
“Footprints Without Feet”?
Answer:
The story highlights the misuse of science. It shows
that scientific power without moral responsibility can lead to destruction and
suffering.
✳️ 16. What lesson do we learn from Griffin’s
story?
Answer:
The story teaches that science should serve humanity,
not harm it. Great power and knowledge should always be guided by moral values.
✳️ 17. What is the meaning of the title
“Footprints Without Feet”?
Answer:
The title refers to the mysterious footprints left by the invisible Griffin in
the muddy street, symbolizing his invisible presence and the mystery and misuse
of scientific power.
✳️ 18. Describe Griffin’s behavior at Iping
village.
Answer:
At Iping, Griffin behaved rudely and suspiciously. He avoided people, kept to
himself, and became violent when questioned. He stole money and scared
villagers with his invisibility.
✳️ 19. What does the story say about the
relationship between science and morality?
Answer:
The story shows that science without morality is dangerous.
Griffin’s invention was a great scientific achievement, but his lack of ethics
turned it into a curse.
✳️ 20. How does H.G. Wells mix science and fiction
in this story?
Answer:
Wells uses the scientific idea of invisibility (fictional at the time) and
creates a believable story showing how such a discovery could affect human
life, behavior, and society.
