The Man who Saw the Future story

shortstory: The Man who Saw the Future (1930) · 1930 · Edmond Hamilton

A 15th century Frenchman is plucked out of his own time and given a tour of 1944 Paris.

11 total · 1 choice · 4 major · 6 minor

ThemeLevelMotivation
what if I found myself in the future choice The story follows the apothecary's assistant Henri Lothiere as he is transported by a pair of scientists from 1444 Paris to the Paris of 1944.
curiosity killed the cat major For investigating a field from which emanated strange thunderclaps, the ever-curious Henri Lothiere was charged with sorcery and blasphemy by the Inquisition and ultimately burned at the stake.
past point of view major The 15th century apothecary's assistant Henri Lothiere was was utterly astonished by technologically advanced world of 1944 Paris.
time travel major The two scientists Rastin and Thicourt used some or another machine they'd constructed to transport Henri Lothiere from 1444 Paris to their own time and place of 1944 Paris.
what if I told the truth and nobody would believe me major Nobody in Henri Lothiere's own time of 1444 believed his story that he'd traveled to 1944 Paris and seen numerous technological marvels. Instead, he was labeled a sorcerer and a blasphemer and ultimately burnt at the stake.
capital punishment minor Henri Lothiere was condemned to burn (at the stake, judging from the 15th century Paris context) for allegedly conjuring thunderclaps by means of sorcery.
flying car minor Henri Lothiere observed winged flying cars in the skies over 1944 Paris.
heresy minor Henri Lothiere was brought before the Inquisitor on charges of sorcery and blasphemy.
science as magic to the primitive minor Henri Lothiere's 15th century contemporaries could only understand his journey of hundreds of years into the future as being the work of the Devil and his minions.
the thirst for knowledge minor Henri Lothiere spoke of how he'd been a seeker of hidden knowledge since the time of his youth.