This apocalyptic story from H. G. Wells describes a near miss of Earth by a huge planetary fragment from outside the solar system. A somewhat disheartening theme is how insignificant the human race and its achievements are in the grand scheme of the universe. Part of the story’s appeal lies in questioning whether people would respond in a similar way if the same thing were to happen today. At first, people view the new “star” with excitement and anticipation. When a master mathematician makes dire predictions, many flee their cities in panic. But surprisingly, most do nothing until too late.
Original Text / PDF / Audio (4,454 words)
General Comments & Analysis
For the most part, a third-person objective narrator graphically relates events in a serious, dispassionate tone. The one exception is the last line where he/she editorializes: Which only shows how small the vastest of human catastrophes may seem, at a distance of a few million miles.
The story comprises two distinct settings and two sets of characters. The first part of the story describes events on earth. By not focusing on any particular location or character, Wells emphasizes the global impact of the “star”. The setting comprises the whole planet; the characters and collective protagonist are mankind. The conflicts faced are Man vs. Nature (external) and Man vs. Self (internal) reflecting the individual decisions necessary as to what to do (e.g. flee, pray, continue life as normal, etc.).
The second setting is the observatory on Mars. The senior Martian scientist describes the “star” in an unexpected way as: the missile that was flung through our solar system into the sun. The use of passive voice here raises the question as to what (or who) did he flinging. Was it the result of a coincidental planetary collision as concluded by earth scientists, or an experiment (or something more sinister) orchestrated from Mars?
Themes of the story are 1) the complacency of man in preparing for potential disaster (very relevant today in the global warming debate!); 2) the powerlessness of man once the forces of nature are unleashed; 3) the resilience of man in recovering from catastrophic situations; 4) the adaptability of earth in dealing with environmental upheaval; and 5) the insignificance of man and the earth in the vast immensity of the universe.