War Of The Worlds Themes

Science Fiction novels depict aliens as semi-human, imperialistic intellects who, despite their technological advancements over human beings, are still inferior. The majority of science fiction novels depicting aliens have them arrive unannounced, H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, for example, (presumably looking for resources that they lack on their home planet) with tools of destruction, progressing the plot when they decimate the Earth, as seen in Robert Emmerich’s Independence Day. The aliens arrive and wage war on Earth, taking all of Earth’s resources and people. However, despite their giant ships, and intimidating weapons, the aliens end up losing the war with the humans, releasing all of their prisoners of war, and disappearing as suddenly as they appeared. This style of book and movie uses these themes to appeal to people’s xenophobic, and western-centric view of the universe. Because of this western xenophobia, this genre tends to depict the westerners as the victors of those intergalactic battles.
To appeal to the xenophobic western culture, Science fiction media tends to depict aliens in a negative light. H.G Wells’ War of the Worlds, describes the Martians in the beginning of the book as beings that “regarded this earth with envious eyes… drawing their plans against us.” The aliens, coming from “across the gulf of space...” …show more content…
Wells’ War of the Worlds and Robert Emmerich 's Independence Day, appeals to western xenophobia and pride by presenting, through their stories, imperialistic, foreign aliens who end up being defeated easily by the western powers. This motif, scattered about the genre, hurts society by promoting and venting the fear of something foreign in a genre that is supposed to idealize the future. Instead of trying to promote harmony and unity, this type of media proudly bears the idea that, even in the future, western ethnocentrism will still dominate Earth, even better than the foreign invaders in their