The First Men in the Moon by H. G. Wells
"The First Men in the Moon" is a science fiction novel by H.G. Wells that explores the adventurous journey of two contrasting characters: Bedford, a fortune-seeker, and Cavor, an idealistic scientist. Set in the village of Lympne, the story begins with Cavor's invention of Cavorite, a substance that negates gravity, which Bedford sees as a means to wealth. The duo travels to the Moon in a spherical craft, where they encounter a unique environment characterized by fantastical vegetation and the insect-like inhabitants known as Selenites. The Selenites live in a highly organized society beneath the lunar surface, reminiscent of ant colonies, and rely on giant worms for sustenance.
As the plot unfolds, Bedford's greed leads to conflict, resulting in a violent encounter with the Selenites, while Cavor attempts to engage with their culture. Ultimately, Bedford escapes to Earth, but Cavor remains behind and continues to communicate his experiences, expressing admiration for the Selenite way of life despite its mechanistic nature. The narrative raises questions about human nature, altruism, and societal structures, inviting readers to consider the implications of utopian ideals versus the chaotic tendencies observed in humanity.
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The First Men in the Moon
First published: 1901
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Science fiction—cosmic voyage
Time of work: The early twentieth century
Locale: Lympne, a village in Kent, England; and the Moon
The Plot
The story has two principal characters: Bedford, a bankrupt fortune hunter, and Cavor, an impractical scientist. They are neighbors in the village of Lympne. Throughout the novel, these two figures are contrasted and compared as the author makes satirical observations about humanity in general and utopian ideas in particular.
Cavor has invented a substance called Cavorite that neutralizes the effects of gravity. Bedford’s entrepreneurial greed senses an opportunity to make money. Before long, the pair are on their way to the Moon in a Cavorite sphere. The journey is related in a believable manner, with some accurate anticipations of the effects of weightlessness in space. Arriving on the Moon, the travelers find that it is in daylight for half of each Earth month. During this time, the atmosphere that was frozen in the other two weeks is warmed, and fantastic vegetation appears. The inhabitants of the Moon, the Selenites, are insectlike creatures who pasture giant worms, the mooncalves, as their food source.
The Selenites live in an ordered society, modeled no doubt on what H. G. Wells knew of the habits of ants and bees, in a kind of honeycomb under the lunar surface. Bedford and Cavor are captured and react very differently to their plight: Bedford wants to carry off as much gold as possible—gold is the Selenites most common mineral—and return to Earth, while Cavor tries to communicate with his captors, whom he finds fascinating. Bedford finally persuades his companion to escape. In the ensuing battle, the fragile Selenites are broken and slaughtered by their more powerful visitors. Cavor is recaptured, and Bedford makes it back to Earth alone, landing on an English beach. He loses the sphere and is therefore unable to return to the Moon for more gold or to rescue his companion.
A few months later, Cavor radios in Morse code his adventures inside the Moon. He has toured the abode of the Selenites and has taught them English. He reacts enthusiastically to the ordered, rational society he encounters on the Moon. The lunar culture is “a world machine” in which every inhabitant performs a single task for the benefit of the community. Some, who operate simple machines, are reared in bottles to prevent the growth of everything except a single hand. Momentarily seized by sympathy, Cavor comments that the hand “seemed” to appeal for lost possibilities, but he concludes that the Selenites do better than humans on Earth, with their method of letting children first grow into human beings and then turning them into machines.
Cavor is taken for an interview with the Grand Lunar, the huge brain, almost devoid of body, who controls the whole society. This interview apparently causes a change of heart in Cavor, who makes the mistake of telling his host too much about the inhabitants of Earth and their chaotic ways, including warfare. As he is about to send the recipe for Cavorite back to Earth, the radio signals are suddenly cut off, the last transmission being “uless.” Cavor’s reports are serialized by Bedford under the pseudonym of Wells.