Book Reviews

H.G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau

“The novel follows the narrative of Edward Prendick, a shipwrecked man who is rescued and left on an island, this being Doctor Moreau’s home. Prendick then learns about Moreau and his experiments focused on creating human-like creatures from animals via vivisection.

Wells uses Moreau’s experiments to explore a multitude of themes including class, the distinction between law and religion and the question of what differentiates men (i.e humans) from animals. The exploration of these themes impacts upon the reader more than one would expect as the descriptions of the sadistic “medicine” that Moreau is practising is starkly juxtaposed with the functional society of the hybrids on the island.

Prendick acts as a surrogate for the audience, allowing emotions and sympathy to be created, sympathy too for the hybrids as they have an understanding of their creation and fear Moreau, a relationship with is deeply connected to religion.

A short and easily digestible novel, there is no reason why it shouldn’t be in your knowledge, especially in comparison with other books of the time, as this was published in the boom of medicine and the refusal of this from the religious community. For GCSE pupils, The Island of Doctor Moreau, although not on your syllabus, can help you in further understanding the opinion of science and Darwinism at the time.

A book that truly speaks for itself, a must-read so to speak, should have a place on your study shelf, as there is something in it for every reader and it is one of the most impressive pieces of literature, in my opinion, from the late 19th century.