Humanity and Trust
One aspect of The Island of Dr. Moreau that was really intriguing was Prendick's inability to trust his fellow men and women, but would instead see their animal sides. His fear was that humans would revert to their animal instincts like the Beast People. This is in a way this story's way of reflecting back onto society a negative aspect of itself. That is, it seems to me that Wells is attempting to portray through his last chapter that there are elements to our society that are primitive and that in many ways human being cannot be trusted (Dr. Moreau could not be trusted with his science, society didn't have the compassion to believe Prendick's story, etc.). The use of Dr. Moreau's creation of the Beast People serves as a subject against which human society can be judged.
This idea of scientific creation echoing back on on society seems to be a very familiar trend as we have seen it with numerous texts; Black No More, Frankenstein, The Monster, etc. These stories are constantly critiquing either scientific minds and pursuits as society's "bad" curiosity, or are using a scientific break through that causes regression/progression to show the faults in "current" society.
This idea of scientific creation echoing back on on society seems to be a very familiar trend as we have seen it with numerous texts; Black No More, Frankenstein, The Monster, etc. These stories are constantly critiquing either scientific minds and pursuits as society's "bad" curiosity, or are using a scientific break through that causes regression/progression to show the faults in "current" society.
posted by Zach at 3:24 PM
2 Comments:
Yes, I agree with your interpretation of trust issues in society. This phenomenon seems to be basic human nature though, as people distrust what is new and different from the convention. Maybe we have been programmed through evolution to distrust the "new" because it may be harmful while settling with the "old" allows us to continue to live and survive.
I think people distrust what is new because what is new is unknown. It's like the saying 'ignorance is bliss.' People don't want to accept or learn about these scientific innovations because they are content with where they're at. Change is uncomfortable and therefore people shrink away and distrust these innovations. Also, I think society's faults are magnified through these breakthroughs because it makes people reevaluate their current environment. How are we doing now and is this going to make things better? Are we okay where we're at?
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