Comparing The War Of The Worlds And The Fly By H. G. Wells

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells and “The Fly” by Katherine Mansfield are both stories that have stood the test of time and are hailed as great by various critics. Despite differing in size and content, what makes these both successful war tales is the response that they are able to provoke from the reader. A great story is differentiable from other acceptable ones as it is capable of drawing emotion from the reader and compels them to question their previous beliefs. Through an incredible plot, profound themes, well developed characters, or a vastly imaginative setting, a great story drives the reader to disregard accepted thoughts, encouraging them to contemplate both sides of an argument and develop their own new ideas. Despite having few developed …show more content…
“Thick walls of wilderness… mountains unfolding into higher mountains, ravines and gorges and fast-moving rivers and waterfalls…and steep cliffs…” (2) and “The night had gone cold and steamy, a low fog sliding down from the mountains….The place was dark except for a small glowing window…the panes dancing in bright reds and yellows as though the grass were on fire.” (11-12) are two fine examples of the awe inspiring setting the story has. The setting itself has a significant capacity of capturing the audience’s attention since it is able to seduce them as well as Mary Anne. The reader can easily picture themselves lost within this location, can place themselves within the characters who find themselves both terrified and attracted to the area. The setting of the story clearly takes the reader away from the normal encounters they would have, executing a stark contrast to the common workplace. The descriptions permit the audience to believe that this obsession could happen and would be likely to occur when there isn’t any other stimulus to