Footprints Without Feet

CHAPTER – 5: FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT FEET

BY: H.G. Wells

SUMMARY

Boys see Footprints in Street :

Two boys on a street in London were surprised to see fresh muddy footprints of bare feet on the steps of a house without finding who was making them. Further on, the footprints disappeared. These footprints had been made by Griffin, an eccentric scientist who had discovered how to make his body transparent. He could only be seen by the clothes he was wearing.

Griffin : A Lawless Person :

Griffin was having a criminal bent of mind and was a Lawless person. He set fire to his landlord’s house to take revenge against him for trying to evict him. To get away, he had to remove his clothes so that he became invisible. He was a homeless wanderer in London without clothes or money, during winter.

Escape by Griffin:

Griffin managed to escape from the two keen boys’ observation and entered unseen into a big store to get warm. After the store was closed at night, Griffin put on some new clothes, consumed meat and coffee from the restaurant in the store and went to sleep on a pile of quilts.

He overslept and only woke up when the shop had opened and the assistants had arrived. On being seen and chased by them, he again took off his clothes so that they could not see him.

Griffin at a Theatrical Company:

Then Griffin entered a theatrical company giving items used in plays. There he wore bandages to outline his face, dark glasses, a false nose and bushy side-whiskers. He robbed the shopkeeper of his money and escaped to a village away from London to avoid being caught.

Griffin Arrives at Iping Village:

Griffin booked two rooms at an inn belonging to Mrs Hall in the village Iping. He explained to her that he had an accident and did not want to be disturbed, as Mrs Hall tried to be social with him. Soon his money was finished and so he robbed a clergyman’s house by using his invisibility.

Mrs Hall Enters Griffin’s Room:

That same day, when Mrs Hall found Griffin’s room open, with his bandages and clothes lying around, she and her husband entered the room. Suddenly both of them were attacked by the furniture being flung at them, but they could not see who was doing this. Mrs Hall felt that the furniture was haunted by spirits, as she could not see Griffin.

Griffin becomes Invisible and Escapes from Iping:

When the clergyman reported the burglary to the police, most people in the village felt that the strange scientist had a hand in it, because he paid his due rent, whereas earlier he was not able to do so. So Mr Jaffers, the village police constable, was called to arrest Griffin on suspicion. Meanwhile, Mrs Hall asked Griffin to explain all the unusual happenings. Griffin lost his temper and decided to tell all. He started removing his clothes and even Jaffers could not catch someone whom he could not see. He was knocked unconscious by the invisible man, who escaped.

BOOK EXERCISE

1. How did the invisible man first become visible?

   Answer: Griffin was completely invisible until he happened to step in some mud, which caused him to leave footprints as he walked. His footprints were seen by two boys, who followed him as long as the prints were visible. On getting rid of them, he went into a big London store to put on some warm clothes. After the store was shut, he got dressed by putting on shoes, an overcoat and a wide-brimmed hat. This made him visible to the people who came to work at the store the next day.

2. Why was he wandering the streets?

   Answer: Griffin was a lawless person. His landlord disliked him and tried to get rid of him. In revenge, he set fire to the house. He had to remove his clothes to get away without being seen. This was why he had become a homeless wanderer—without clothes and money.

3. Why does Mrs Hall find the scientist eccentric?

   Answer: The arrival of a stranger at an inn in winter was in itself a strange occurrence. In addition, the stranger had an uncommon appearance. In spite of Mrs Hall’s attempts to be friendly, he would respond in a cold manner. He told her that he had no desire to talk, and that all he wanted was solitude. He did not wish to be disturbed in his work. For all these reasons she regarded him as an eccentric scientist.

4. What curious episode occurs in the study?

   Answer: A clergyman and his wife were awakened by noises in the study very early in the morning. Creeping downstairs, they heard the chink of money being taken from the clergyman’s desk. He and his wife looked under the desk and behind the curtains, and even up the chimney. There wasn’t a sign of anybody. Yet the desk had been opened and the housekeeping money was missing.

5. What other extraordinary things happened at the inn?

   Answer: The landlord and his wife surprised to see the scientist’s door open. Usually it is shut and locked and he becomes furious if anyone enters his room. The opportunity seems too good to be missed. They peep round the door, see nobody and decide to investigate. The bedclothes were cold, showing that the scientist must have been up for some time. All of a sudden Mrs. Hall heard a sniff close to her ear. A moment later the hat on the bed post leapt up and dashed itself into her face. Then the bedroom chair became alive. Springing into the air it charged straight at her, legs foremost. As she and her husband turned away in terror, the extraordinary chair pushed them both out of the room and then appeared to slam and lock the door after them. Mrs. Hall almost fell down the stairs in hysterics. She was convinced that the room was haunted by spirits and the stranger had somehow caused these to enter into the furniture.

6. “Griffin was rather a lawless person.” Comment.

   Answer: It is rightly said that Griffin was a lawless person. He was not a law abiding citizen. A person who follows law and order of the country cannot think of damaging other’s property. But Griffin set fire to the house and became a homeless wanderer. He also robbed a shopkeeper of all the money he could find. He stole the housekeeping money from the clergyman’s desk. Griffin also attacked Mrs. Hall when she entered his room. All these activities and instances prove that he was really a lawless person.

7. How would you assess Griffin as a scientist?

   Answer: After repeated experiments, Griffin had discovered how to make the human body transparent. This was a big achievement. However, he misused his discovery for personal gains and for hurting others. Thus, though he can be termed as a brilliant scientist, he was not a noble one.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

8. Why were the two boys in London surprised and fascinated?

   Answer: The two boys in London were surprised and fascinated when they saw fresh muddy footprints of a human being on the steps of a house, but no man was there making them! As they looked, a fresh footprint appeared from nowhere and they started following them.

9. What did Griffin, the scientist, do to escape after setting the fire to the house of his landlord ?

   Answer: After setting the house on fire, Griffin, the scientist removed his clothes, became invisible and got away without being seen. He became homeless wanderer without clothes, without money and quite invisible in the cold weather of London.

10. What did Griffin decide to try the second time? What did he hope to find ?

    Answer: Griffin decided to try the stock of theatrical company at Drury lane. He hoped to find clothes that would hide the empty space above his shoulders and would make him a perfectly visible man.

11. Give a character sketch of Griffin the invisible scientist ?

    Answer: The invisible scientist was a brilliant scientist who misused his scientific discovery and became a lawless person. He started enjoying harming people. When his landlord fried to catch him, in revenge, Griffin set fire to the house.

12. How did Griffin enjoy himself inside a big London store ?

    Answer: Griffin slipped into a big London store to save himself from the unbearable cold. He drunk liquor and wore warm clothes. He found cold meat, coffee and sweets there. At last he slept on a pile of quilts.

13. What did Griffin do in the shop of a theatrical company?

    Answer: The second time Griffin tried the stock of a theatrical company in the hope of finding not only clothes but also something like side whiskers, glasses, false nose, bandages, hat etc that would hide the empty space above his shoulders.

14. What extraordinary things happened at the inn?

    Answer: The landlord and his wife found the scientists door open. Normally, he kept his room locked and secured. The couple took it as a chance to investigate. They peeped inside the room and found the scientist missing. Suddenly, Mrs. Hall heard a sniff and saw the hat on the bedpost leapt up. The chair in the room started moving automatically. These things made people furious.

15. Why did Mrs. Hall find the scientist eccentric?

    Answer: Mrs. Hall found the scientist eccentric because he arrived at the inn in winter, which was an unusual time for any visitor to arrive there. His appearance was stranger. He did not like to speak to Mrs. Hall and wanted to be left alone and undisturbed.

16. What did the Halls see in the scientist’s room ?

    Answer: One day the Halls got up early and were surprised to see that, the door of the scientist’s room, was open. Normally, it remained shut and locked. The Halls felt like making the use of the opportunity as they could not see anyone inside. They went inside to investigate. They saw that the bed clothes were cold his clothes and bandages were lying loose in the room. Suddenly, they heard a sniffing sound although there was no one in the room. The Halls got terrified and decided to leave the scientist’s room.

17. What happened to Jaffers when he tried to catch the invisible scientist?

    Answer: When constable Jaffers tried to catch Griffin, he became invisible by removing his clothes. Jaffers found himself struggling with someone who couldn’t be seen. He was hit blows by Griffin and soon was knocked unconscious.

18. What was the explanation of ‘mystery’?

    Answer: The two boys followed muddy footprints being made fresh without seeing anybody making the prints, which was a ‘mystery’ for them. The explanation was that the bewildered boys had been following a scientist who had just discovered how to make the human body transparent, and thus invisible, by swallowing certain drugs.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

19. What did Griffin finally do when people held him responsible for all the strange occurrences?

    Answer: Griffin became furious when he saw people holding him responsible for all the strange occurrences. He started taking off his bandages, whiskers, spectacles and even false nose. The people around him got horrified as they were looking at a headless man. The space above his shoulders became empty. Then, he started to remove his clothes and became absolutely invisible. The situation became funny when the constable was struggling with someone whom no one could see at all. The man kept on throwing one garment after another and finally no one could see him. He was invisible.

20. Describe Jaffer’s fight with Griffin at the village of Iping.

    Answer: Griffin entered the clergyman’s house with an intention to steal money. He opened the desk and stole the money. When people came to know about the burglary, they suspected the strange. They sent for the village constable. The scientist became furious and threw off his bandages, whiskers, spectacles and false nose. Mr. Jaffers was surprised that he had to arrest a headless man. He tried to get hold of the man who was becoming more and more invisible. The constable was struggling with someone who could not be seen at all. Some people tried to assist him but received blows. The constable was knocked unconscious and Griffin escaped.

21. Name three extraordinary things that took place in the room where Griffin was staying.
    Answer: Griffin was a scientist. He carried out an experiment which made human body invisible. He tried it on himself and became invisible. Then he started doing things which were, extraordinary. The first extraordinary thing that took place was that there was no one in the room yet Mrs. Hall heard a sniff close to her ear. The hat that was kept on the bedpost, went up and dashed into her face. After that, suddenly the chair rose up in the air and pushed both Mrs. Hall and her husband out of the room.

22. Why were the landlord and his wife surprised to see the scientist’s door wide open ? What did they decide ?

    Answer: One day the landlord and his wife found the scientist’s door wide open. The scientist’s door usually, remained shut and locked. They became furious if anyone entered his room. The couple got an opportunity to inquire the matter. So, they decided to investigate. They went inside and found that the bed clothes were cold and the clothes and bandages that he always wore were lying in the room. Suddenly, Mrs. Hall heard a sniff close to her ear. After a moment, the hat in the room leapt up and dashed itself into her face. They thought that the room was haunted by spirits so they ran away from their after being pushed by flying chair. They decided to confront the scientist about this incident when they would meet him.

23. Griffin is a talented scientist but he misused his invention. The lesson we learn from his example is that the misuse of a scientific discovery can play havoc with humanity. Explain.

    Answer: A true scientist works for the good of humanity. He wants to make man’s life easier, more comfortable and enjoyable. He doesn’t misuse his discoveries for personal gains or selfish ends. But Griffin, though a brilliant scientist, misuses his discovery. By his experiments, he has been able to make his body transparent and invisible. He uses his discovery to puzzle people enters store and shops unseen, robs people of their money or things and escapes. He sets fire to the house of his landlord. He steals food, sweets, wine. It shows that the misuse of a scientific discovery can disturb the peace of society. Such a scientist will use his invention for self-interest and for taking revenge upon the people around him, he won’t honour the law and thus will become a lawless person.

24. If, somehow you discovered how to become invisible, how would you use that opportunity?

    Answer: If I discovered how to become invisible, I would use this opportunity to punish all those people who cause trouble to others for their own selfish motives. I would catch them and hand them over to the police without letting them know that I was behind them. I will also help the law-enforcing agencies when they conduct raids on criminal hideouts, as I will be able to move in the open without fear of being seen. This will help the people of the country to become more law-abiding citizens.

25. What impression do you form of Griffin after reading the lesson, “Footprint without Feet”?

    Answer: Griffin was a brilliant scientist, as he discovered a drug due to which his body became transparent as a sheet of glass after swallowing it. This made him invisible. But he was a lawless person. Because of his misdeeds, he became a homeless wanderer without clothes and money. He was an introvert with a desire for solitude. He was always seeking adventure, being fond of mysterious things. However, he was unscrupulous, as he robbed various people to finance his work, besides he got angry very quickly, which caused him to become a fugitive.