The Invisible Man story

novel: The Invisible Man (1897) · 1897 · H. G. Wells

A scientist who has devoted himself to research into optics invents a way to change a body's refractive index to that of air so that it neither absorbs nor reflects light and thus becomes invisible. He successfully carries out this procedure on himself, but fails in his attempt to reverse it.

14 total · 2 choice · 3 major · 9 minor

Theme	Level	Motivation
invisibility ability	choice	Griffin found a way to make himself invisible by changing the body's refractive index to that of air so that it neither absorbs nor reflects light.
personal invisibility cloak	choice	Griffin found a way to make himself invisible by changing the body's refractive index to that of air so that it neither absorbs nor reflects light.
coping with being an outcast	major	Griffin lived as a loner before he became invisible, and he lived in isolation from other people everywhere he went after his transformation.
psychopathy	major	Kemp described Griffin as "inhuman" and "pure selfishness". Kemp spoke of Griffin as thinking of "nothing but his own advantage, his own safety". Griffin's actions in the story repeatedly lent credence to these remarks, including not feeling a bit sorry for having murdered his own father, and his callous behavior he demonstrated toward an old man he coerced into being his servant.
the making of a monster to society	major	Griffin's life of isolation may have contributed to him becoming a psychopathic killer.
betrayal	minor	Kemp wantonly betrayed Griffin by alerting the police about Griffin after he assured Griffin that he would not no such thing.
chemicals	minor	Griffin went to work in his hotel room with "powders" and "coloured and white fluids" in an effort to derive a formula that would reverse his invisibility.
husband and wife	minor	Mr. and Mrs. Hall.
physics	minor	Griffin went in much detail on how objects could be rendered invisible via the altering of their refractive indexes.
remorse	minor	Griffin regretted having rendered himself permanently invisible after he became aware of such disadvantages that came with the condition as having to be naked all the time.