STRUCTURE The events of The War of the Worlds progress primarily chronologically. The novel began with the Martian cylinder crashing from the heavens to earth. In the end the narrator is joyously reunited with his wife. The book itself was a large paperback. It contained 136 pages separated into two books, the first of which was comprised of seventeen chapters, and the second of ten chapters. Each chapter was comprised of five pages on average.
IMAGERY
The War of the Worlds overflowed with its uses of figurative language. Despite the fantastical element used in the novel, Wells’ imagery ensured that the story remained logical and interesting. By utilizing a diverse range of images, he managed to add deep emotion to a novel with a profound …show more content…
The sound of a train passing by is described as, “clatter, clatter, clap, rap” (20). This brings the familiar sound of a roaring steam engine to the forefront of the reader’s mind.
Similes are used in The War of the Worlds to permit a better understanding of a circumstance or situation. When the human military government and its military have been basically annihilated by Martian war machines, the surviving humans are disorganized, as put eloquently by the narrator. “[L]eaderless… like sheep without a shepherd” (129). This describes the devastated state of mankind following the Martian conquest.
Metaphors possess a similar purpose when used by Wells in the novel. When the Martians first arrived on earth, the narrator and many other speculated how their conquest would be short lived due to their bodies lack of design for the planet Earth and its gravitational field. An example of this is, “His own body would be a cope of lead to him” (21). This idea of the extra earthly gravitational pull was more profoundly expressed by this …show more content…
The author gives these very human qualities to that which is not human to better add to his vivid descriptions. Such an example of this is, “the thunder claps one on the tread of another” (31).
Verbal Irony is also utilized in War of the Worlds. When the narrator first meets the weak-willed curate, he attempts to strengthen his resolve, saying that there is hope that they can survive the Martian conquest. The disconsolate priest responds, “Yes. Plentiful hope--for all this destruction!” (51). While the curate says he is agreeing with the narrator’s positive outlook, in reality he is scoffing his opinion.
Wells also uses hyperbole to add flavor his novel. When the first cylinder descended from Mars, the people sent word to London, and the aggrandized headline was, “A MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM MARS. REMARKABLE STORY FROM WOKING” (10). This is an over exaggeration, due to the fact that the people had only seen a metallic grey cylinder, and not grand and elaborate communications from Mars.
IMAGERY
The War of the Worlds overflowed with its uses of figurative language. Despite the fantastical element used in the novel, Wells’ imagery ensured that the story remained logical and interesting. By utilizing a diverse range of images, he managed to add deep emotion to a novel with a profound …show more content…
The sound of a train passing by is described as, “clatter, clatter, clap, rap” (20). This brings the familiar sound of a roaring steam engine to the forefront of the reader’s mind.
Similes are used in The War of the Worlds to permit a better understanding of a circumstance or situation. When the human military government and its military have been basically annihilated by Martian war machines, the surviving humans are disorganized, as put eloquently by the narrator. “[L]eaderless… like sheep without a shepherd” (129). This describes the devastated state of mankind following the Martian conquest.
Metaphors possess a similar purpose when used by Wells in the novel. When the Martians first arrived on earth, the narrator and many other speculated how their conquest would be short lived due to their bodies lack of design for the planet Earth and its gravitational field. An example of this is, “His own body would be a cope of lead to him” (21). This idea of the extra earthly gravitational pull was more profoundly expressed by this …show more content…
The author gives these very human qualities to that which is not human to better add to his vivid descriptions. Such an example of this is, “the thunder claps one on the tread of another” (31).
Verbal Irony is also utilized in War of the Worlds. When the narrator first meets the weak-willed curate, he attempts to strengthen his resolve, saying that there is hope that they can survive the Martian conquest. The disconsolate priest responds, “Yes. Plentiful hope--for all this destruction!” (51). While the curate says he is agreeing with the narrator’s positive outlook, in reality he is scoffing his opinion.
Wells also uses hyperbole to add flavor his novel. When the first cylinder descended from Mars, the people sent word to London, and the aggrandized headline was, “A MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM MARS. REMARKABLE STORY FROM WOKING” (10). This is an over exaggeration, due to the fact that the people had only seen a metallic grey cylinder, and not grand and elaborate communications from Mars.